After working one's way through Victoria lengthy reign it is easy to pay less attention to Edward. This series bridges the gap beautifully and brings the importance of Edward back to life. Thank you so much the reminder of a good King.
This and Fall of Eagles.. excellent productions... now its all celebrity and reality programs... TV has sure gone down hill in the last thirty years...
Edward did more to try to preserve European peace in his nine short years on the throne than most ever give him credit for. After decades of being refused any gainful work during his mother’s reign, he pushed himself beyond his limits, which likely only hastened his death, but he had nothing but the best of intentions with his tireless efforts. Despite the mixed opinions many had of what sort of monarch he’d be, he was a far better king than many would’ve thought he could be. If anything, his work bought the UK valuable time to better prepare for the coming war.
I never get tired of watching this program so superbly done. Wish we had more like these, not the Crown that in my opinion is a Soap Opera. No more like this program, or Elizabeth I, the six wives of Henry VIII, and the shadow of the Tower. These were programs worth watching, even somewhat educational as well. Now everything has to be a big production I guess they're hoping for an Emmy or Oscar. Instead they should be hoping for the approval of those who watch the show.
The Crown is cheap & tawdry. This production is timeless full of class . I miss those British creations because they transport you to that time & place.
I watched this when it was on in the 1970s and I have binged watched it again on here over two days. Now I am in bits. Especially with the slow movement of Elgar's 1st symphony played at the end. Thank you for posting this.
I stumbled across this when I was looking for royal dramas following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. This show was a gem and so well put together with a really high-quality cast. Edward VII played an important role in getting the Royal Family out and about in public after Queen Victoria's years of being a recluse.
Dear Dee Williams, thank you very much for sharing this wonderful series with us. I remember watching it back in 1975, when it was first shown on ITV - when I was a 14 year old boy and again when it was repeated by ITV - as part of The Queen's Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 1977 and it was as compulsive viewing for me now, as it was back then. I still have the TV Times Jubilee Souvenir large booklet of the series which was published in 1977 and I bought with cash from my paper round! Thanks again Dee xx.
Excellent show! I am amazed at how much time this show covered. The politics, the fashions, technology, and power changed. The last three episodes set the world up for the rest of the 20th century.
Gosh, even I used to smoke a lot of cigars and pipes. Thank God, I have stopped now. I think back in those days people didn't know much about cancer and cardiac problems?
My deepest thanks to dee williams for posting this breathtakingly superb series. Second time seeing it and won't be the last. The quality of this program puts all the others to shame.
Edward VII was a great king. It's almost a crime how he was treated as a youth and then when his mother didn't take him into her confidence and teach him to rule, it was a waste. Yet he turned out to be a superior king who only got 9 years to reign. Imagine if he'd had 20 years. I don't think World War I would have happened under his reign as he was one of the last kings who could influence his government and basically tell them "No." His son George V wasn't in the same league and basically did what his government asked him to do. Edward was truly the last king of England with any real power.
George V wasn't the pushover your comment implies. He set a very important precedent when he refused to accept Lord Curzon as prime minister (because of his membership of the Lords) and instead chose Stanley Baldwin from the Commons. Since then we have never had a prime minister from the House of Lords.
Edward had a very strong personality, very affable, likable, a people person. His reputation and popularity allowed him to be politically influential where he shouldn’t have been. George V didn’t have the personality or the reputation.
For the era they put alot more effort into there costumes than most now days sadly the hats are my biggest problem with the costumes but the dresses on the ladies are very accurate
What a sensitive and loving portrayal of the royal family. It seemed honest (even of the vices) without trying to be sensational or humiliating. Very classy. Loved the portrayals of Alix and George, also! Oh, and Kaiser Wilhem! Thank you so much for sharing.
Highly sanitised. One of his mistresses, Lady Harriet Mordaunt, was, because of the scandal of her affair with Edward, committed to an asylum in which she died - 36 years later. Better insane than promiscuous. Edward lied in court about the affair and turned a blind eye to Harriet's incarceration - even though he could have had her freed very easily. Her own family had her put away but Edward stood aside - no doubt happy that the embarrassment was removed from the public eye. He wasn't quite the loveable old rake this sycophantic portrayal makes him out to be.
+DorianDevereaux The Mordaunt story is touched on in the series, but not the results of her being declared mad, which I agree is a sanitization of a very unpleasant action by Edward and the royals. There seems to be some actual debate as to whether or not she was really mad, but much of her diagnosis does come off as politically expedient. Her case seems indicative not only of what one might expect if one becomes "inconvenient' to the powerful, but also generally of what rights women had at the time. Here is her Wikipedia entry at any rate. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Mordaunt#Asylum_at_Chiswick
Damn it, now I'm crying. He seemed like such a good person. He was badly mistreated in his youth and I think that had he been allowed, he could have made some very important changes for his people.
@@mrelano65 It was an arranged marriage to create the next generation of heirs/rulers of Europe. Back in those days it was the norm for wealthy men to find mistresses when their wife was done childbearing (no reliable birth control) The royal women were not afforded the same freedom.
Super series. Great acting, really well portrayed and actually stimulating/interesting to watch. On a totally different level to the majority of today’s sensationalist nonsense and soaps.
I really loved this series. Very much enjoyed it as I love the history of the royals of Europe. All the actors were superb and the lady that played Alexandra reminded me so much like Deborah Kerr, looks and her voice.
Pardon me but as soon as I sent my comment , I remembered the exact quote of Edward VIII Duke of Windsor " ICE ran through my mother's veins " Nothing like being a' know it all ' and NOT knowing it all at the time!!!
Smokers coughs were part of my childhood. I remember old men, uncles, neighbours, being completely overcome with fits off coughing, and then shaking it off and carrying on as if they hardly noticed.
I love this series. Timothy West, Helen Ryan, Annette Crosbie and all the rest of the actors/actresses are excellent. What a great cast. I first saw this series when I was 15 on channel 13 in 1975. I've been watching it again the last week and a half finished it tonight.
Excellent series ! At 80 and a ' history buff ' this is a most important ' period ' of that era the consequences of which had GREATLY effected our 20th century that constituted my life time and that I spent so much time and money on books of all sides to understand it.This production is so spot on in EVERY way - scenes,costumes,sets, mannerisms, and ESPECIALLY the characters!!! One in particular, the future Queen MARY = stone face in everyone of her scenes and let's us understand the abdicated Edward Vlll' quote, I believe I have it right, " lead ran through my mothers veins". Watching this makes me fell I could have saved all that time and money!!! Thank you whomever!
I quite agree. George V's portrayal would be quite an interesting one, considering the fact that he reigned during some of the eventful yesrs of British history.
The closest production to that is _The Fall of Eagles_ miniseries ruclips.net/video/Wo21LRTc1Uc/видео.html which depicts the emperors of Germany, Austria and Russia between 1853 and 1918.
Wow, I love this series. Beautifully done. They really brought these historical people to life, that I've only read about, for years. Thank you for posting these.
That’s true, Alexandra was brought by Queen Victoria in England after the death of Alexandra’s mother, Princess Alice. The Tsarina grew up speaking English and disliked the Russian language
I know it almost doesn't make sense why George V was so stern and almost cruel to his children if his father was his best friend and caring grandfather...
When George was growing up his father wasn't around that much with his busy social life but when he did see his children he was very affectionate however he had a fearsome temper which nobody could quell . Also I'm pretty sure you're referring to the quote where he says 'My father was frightened of his mother, I was frightened of my father and I'm going to make damned well sure my children are frightened of me'... well there's virtually no evidence or direct source to actually suggest he even said that it's most likely that quote was passed on by here-say . much like 'We are not amused'
Perkin, the royals have a history of intolerance towards any kind of weakness/disability and Edward VIII had a low IQ - just one point above imbecility - and a stammer. George V found it difficult to empathise and 'took it out on him'.
Watched all 13 parts (first 3 on another channel) and I was so engrossed. After finishing it, I find myself thinking about the characters....like I'm still engrossed in this world. I was born in the 80s and this was amazingly done.
@@katherinek2709 Children are a product of their environment, Victoria and Albert regimented every aspect of their kid's lives it suffocated the future Edward VII who didn't have the character to live in such discipline so when he became a father he didn't restrict his kids. But George V saw the vicariousness of Edward VII life and didn't want to become his father as it bought the reputation of monarchy in disrepute so he was more stricter with his kids, ironically this tormented the future Edward VIII and his sons, result one king abdicated and the other king a nervous wreck. George VI feared his father disciplinarian ways so he learned to be much more gentler with his girls. So there is a pattern here every subsequent heir was opposite to their predecessor. Elizabeth II was said to be distant and formal with her kids, but Charles is friends with his boys more hands on than his mother.
Katherine K George V was a good man and a good king, but he was very strict, aye. All that aside, I still think he cared for his sons in his own way. And likewise, he loved his father very much...admitting he was as much his best friend as he was his dad. But all the same, his son, George VI, was a great man and a greater king. Both men led their countries through terrible, destructive conflicts and did splendid jobs of it. George V could’ve been less rigid, true, but his rigidity did have its place and purpose and while he had his flaws his reign was a sound one.
19:02-19:15 King Edward: "After all, that's what we work for: the world that we leave our sons. Tsar Nicholas: "If we have the courage." King Edward: "Oh, I'm sure you have the courage. I only hope you have the time." Poignant, in retrospect, when you consider what happened barely a decade later.
DharmaRanga and when Princess Alexandra said to herself in front of her sister Dagmar (Minnie) the Tsarevna Maria Feodorovna and her husband Tsarevitch Alexander ( Sasha).....when her son George and her nephew Nicky were little.... :" God protect them"...
What happened to the Romanovs in 1917-18 was decades in the making. Alexander II tried to be a more liberal-minded Tsar, but his son (Alexander III) undid all that when he became Tsar.
@@malcolml309 I think one of the main problems with Nicholas II's rule in Russia was not the rule itself, but was the political autocratic system by which he ruled under. Autocracy may have worked in the 18th century during the rule of Peter I aka "Peter the Great", but it was unworkable in the 20th century during the rule of Nicholas II's reign. Had russia been a constitutional monarchy I think Nicholas II would have been a great and respected ruler and the russian monarchy would have most likely continued instead of ending so violently the way it actually did.
Excellent. Even brilliant. Engrossing - even for someone who grew up thinking he an his lot were some of the most boring and overestimated people on the planet. And if I ever run into that fool again I shall slap him hard upside the head with the facts. In fact, it could hardly be improved upon - although it might have benefited from newsreel or file footage of his funeral, which was one of the most remarkable events, in peacetime at least, of the last century. A great story, really well-written, superbly staged and acted. Much thanks for the upload.
I remember this series - I loved it. Some great 70s actors there, including Christoper Neame (Colditz, Secret Army) as the Kaiser, and Felicity (Good Life etc) Kendal as his mother. They are about the same age irl.
I feel physical pain every time I here him hacking, and extreme amazement every time he lights a new cigar. WHY DOES HE CONTINUE TO DO THIS TO HIMSELF!!!!!!!
Thank you, so much, for posting! I finally got to see the whole thing, from start to finish! I loved all of the dramatic histories that they used to make back in the 60's and 70's... So nice to have seen this one, again!
He might have been able to delay it or perhaps even have limited kept certain countries from fighting, but nothing I think could have completely stopped it from happening
I just feel so incredibly sorry for Toria. She never got to have her own life. If Edward had not been such a philanderer, Alix would not have become so emotionally dependent on her daughter.
Edward had nothing to do with Toria's not marrying. One of the customs of the time was that one daughter remained unmarried and at home with the parents as a companion. Beatrice did this for Victoria, and one of Helena's daughters did the same for her. While Beatrice was allowed to marry, it was on condition that she and her spouse were to live with Victoria.
@@gidzmobug2323 Beatrix went to a wedding in Russia and fell in love with a prince. She wanted to get married but Victoria forbade it. This resulted in Beatrix and Victoria eating in silence for 6 months. Victoria finally caved with the proviso that Beatrix and the prince live with her. The couple had 4 childern,I think ,and a happy marriage. The prince died from a fever on board ship on his way to fight in the Ashanti war. Beatrix eventually moved into a cottage on the grounds of Osborne house until her death. She is buried on the grounds of Osbourne house. Her youngest daughter who was quite a beauty married the king of Spain passing the hemophilia gene on to her son.
@@sheilaghbrosky I am afraid you have Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands confused with Princess Beatrice of the UK. *The second lady (Beatrice) was Victoria's daughter. She married Prince Henry of Battenberg. *The first lady (Beatrix) married a French Count (Henri de Monzepat).
Wilhelm: Only I keep my people in CHECK! EVERYTHING I have SACRIFICED, EVERYTHING for the affection I have for YOU, FOR OUR FAMILY, AND SEE HOW I AM TREATED CRUELLY, SO CRUELLY MISUNDERSTOOD ON ALL SIDES! I--! (Wilhelm is about to cry) EXCUSE ME! (Runs out the room.) (What follows is my own additional alternate dialogue) Advisor: Good God, You actually made him cry, Your Highness! What did you do? Edward VII: Nothing: I just pointed out that we were increasing our forces because Germany was increasing theirs, and I mildly asked "how?" after he claimed that he prevented England's losing South Africa. Advisor: That's it?! What a crybaby! Edward VII: Yes, I know. Poor Willy. Though I'm making fun of this scene, I am a huge fan of Christopher Neame's portrayal of Kaiser Wilhelm II. He's hilarious, he's outrageous, he's scary, he's emotionally unstable, and I love it. His lines about always being "MISUNDERSTOOD!" still crack me up, and are very fun to imitate.
When you think about the effect of tobacco on world history !!! Imagine if the kaisers father had lived but he died of throat cancer and then Edward the 7th died early of COPD all down to their smoking . king George also feed ofCOPD and George 6th died of lung cancer .what a terrible tole
Mrs Keppel invented the story about being summoned by Queen Alexandra to see Bertie in his dying days. Francis Knollys said he was already flat on his back and barely conscious. Alice pestered her way in, threw a hysterical fit and had to be led away.
It is so nice to read the other people’s comments and how they were affected by this series and how they felt for the King, nice to know you are not alone in relating to this great series. I watched a few years ago and now again and I am sure I would want to watch it more times. Mit was so sad that he had to die as the world ended up needing people like him even more. But I am glad he missed the horrible world wars of the new world. How he would have hated that terrible destruction. It really was the end of an era. All the wars and all the revolutions still haven’t helped the poor or solved anything, so what use are they? But a good King at least can make all kinds of people feel delight and pleasure, whatever their daily world is. They are not perfect but I love the old Kings and Queens. I know a lot of them did terrible things. I don’t love that. I love the part of them that created beauty. I wonder what happened to the first three parts? They have been deleted which is puzzling. Or maybe I just couldn’t find where they were still here. Anybody know?
That's a myth. Bertie was English, born and raised in England. There is one recording of his voice in existence, and he had the usual upper-class English accent, with no trace of German. His mother likewise had no German accent.
I thought the same thing! I'm currently reading The Heir Apparent by Jane Ridley and she mentions his slight German accent and how he was made fun of because of it. German WAS the first language of Victoria and Albert's household. The accent is no myth.
If a child begins learning the other language(s) before the age of 10-12 (variation depending on the individual & circumstances), there is no first-language accent. As far as I'm aware, Edward had native English-speaking nannies, with whom he spent most of his time in his early years, so there is no linguistic reason for him to have a German accent on his English.
@@GavinsMarineMom Lehzen was dismissed when Edward was still a baby. And after that, there were years of tutors. He had more than enough other influences to speak native English. I think the German-accent nonsense is anti-monarchist propaganda that takes advantage of people's lack of understanding of language acquisition.
@@MsVanorak Smoking will do that to you. Regardless of how often the tobacco manufacturers claim they can make smoking safer, people's lives are still cut short by it!
There were cheating wives then, too. But is was more acceptable at that time for a man to have a wife and a mistress than it was for a wife to have a lover.
Particularly in those days when it was virtually expected for the prince or king to have mistresses. Especially since, by all account, she did love him-and him her.
I think the makers of this series are to be congratulated for not playing into the “Burtie the Bounder” stereotype. Extra History, in their recent series on the British conquest of India, described him as lazy and disinterested in the affairs of his people. Nothing could be further from the truth.
What a wonderful series! I had never seen nor heard of it before, but once I found it, I was hooked. I watched all 13 episodes in 2 days and didn't want it to end. I then had to watch Elizebeth R, with Glenda Jackson, also and excellent mini-series. Unfortunately, it's not on RUclips. I had to get Britbox to watch it.
I've read that in real life, it was Bertie who asked for Alice, and while Alexandra acquiesced, it hurt her deeply. Also, Keppel became hysterical during the brief visit, crying loudly & babbling to the Queen "our relationship was innocent" and she had to be removed quickly.
Love this series. Thanks for posting. Strange that Helen Ryan isn't a name as well known as Mirren, Dench et al. Perhaps she preferred a quieter life lol
The Kaiser & the Czar were not emotionally fit to rule gigantic empires; Willy was unbalanced, probably largely due to his physical disability & Nicky refused to listen to the sound advice offered to him after witnessing his grandfather's death by assassination.
I would think definitely his disability played into it but mostly what I've read about the treatments given to him for it over the years is pure torture and I would think that would be what the profound effect was from.
The Kaiser's wife also spoke fluent English and the Kaiser's children had an English governess. Alicky was also pro-English and did not like the Kaiser. The Kaiser did try to save the life of his cousin Elisabeth of Hesse, Alicky's sister but she refused to go to Germany in 1918. The Kaiser loved Elisabeth of Hesse and did want to marry her but she refused.
Really it got on my nerves that Alicky could be portrayed as soaking ANYTHING but Court English! After the death of her mother, she and her sister Elizabeth were raised under the close eye of the Queen Victoria, who didn't approve of either of their subsequent marriages into Russia.
@@VolumedMusicMan I do not think that his parents were unkind. Rather, there were the expectations on Wilhelm, plus Fritz' family was not fond of Vicky.
Katheryne Koelker I am thinking of how his parents allowed Willie to go through stressful situations such as: neck surgery, placing his arm on a dead animal, straightening his posture with a steel rod. There were letters recently discovered from Willie to his mom. He was trying to reach to her for acceptance and intimacy. Her remarks were distant and formal. It was unacceptable to Victoria Jr. to have a “cripple” in her royal family.
Novel that plans for a channel tunnel were being discussed way back in Edward VII's reign? Apparently the idea goes back to the early 1800's. A decade after this serial aired, the project was signed off. I just love the history lessons given in this all the way through.
The picture taken at the beginning was published exactly as said, with the caption Is it War or Peace? Campbell Bannerman told a friend that they were discussing whether halibut better boiled or baked.
I have always been touched that Caesar, his dear doggie, also marched in his funeral cortège, on a lead, with a handler. Witnesses said that Caesar behaved as if he knew this would be his service for his master. Caesar wore a tag (probly a silver medal) around his neck thy said, "I am Caesar. I am the King's." After the funeral he went to live with Lillie Langtree, conspicuous in her absence from this series. But the series about her life and long friendship with Edward is also here online.
Caesar didn't go to live with Lillie Langtree. Queen Alexandra assumed care of him, and quite spoiled him, until his death in 1914. Caesar is buried on the grounds of Marlborough House, the former home of the King and Queen. 😊
In the scene which begins at 4:39 in the office of then British Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman there are four other men with the prime minister. One is Lord Esher who was a sort of special advisor to Edward VII. The other three men Henry Asquith, David Lloyd George, and Winston Churchill were members of the Prime Minister's cabinet. But the three men would also be future prime ministers themselves. When was the last time in british political history that an incumbent prime minister had three people serving in cabinet posts who would in the future also serve as UK Prime Minister. Remarkable coincidence.
This program is great… well done! Everything I have heard about this King was that he was a spoiled good for nothing……now I know that couldn’t be further from the truth!
madiantin in another episode Alexandra mishears Bertie as saying “I’m going to evict him” meaning Willy when he said something else entirely! The shocked look on Alexandra’s face is everything.
After working one's way through Victoria lengthy reign it is easy to pay less attention to Edward. This series bridges the gap beautifully and brings the importance of Edward back to life. Thank you so much the reminder of a good King.
This and Fall of Eagles.. excellent productions... now its all celebrity and reality programs... TV has sure gone down hill in the last thirty years...
Edward did more to try to preserve European peace in his nine short years on the throne than most ever give him credit for. After decades of being refused any gainful work during his mother’s reign, he pushed himself beyond his limits, which likely only hastened his death, but he had nothing but the best of intentions with his tireless efforts. Despite the mixed opinions many had of what sort of monarch he’d be, he was a far better king than many would’ve thought he could be. If anything, his work bought the UK valuable time to better prepare for the coming war.
This and the Fall of Eagles were the most comprehensive and beautifully made BBC series ever made.
I never get tired of watching this program so superbly done. Wish we had more like these, not the Crown that in my opinion is a Soap Opera. No more like this program, or Elizabeth I, the six wives of Henry VIII, and the shadow of the Tower. These were programs worth watching, even somewhat educational as well. Now everything has to be a big production I guess they're hoping for an Emmy or Oscar. Instead they should be hoping for the approval of those who watch the show.
I think they spent a little too long the early part of Edward's life however.
The actors in The Crown are so stellar that it makes seeing the entire series worthwhile.
@@mortalclown3812 it's not always historically correct though, that's an issue.
You should watch Lillie Langtry by the same writers of Edward VII and the same actress as well.
The Crown is cheap & tawdry. This production is timeless full of class . I miss those British creations because they transport you to that time & place.
I watched this when it was on in the 1970s and I have binged watched it again on here over two days. Now I am in bits. Especially with the slow movement of Elgar's 1st symphony played at the end. Thank you for posting this.
I stumbled across this when I was looking for royal dramas following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. This show was a gem and so well put together with a really high-quality cast. Edward VII played an important role in getting the Royal Family out and about in public after Queen Victoria's years of being a recluse.
Dear Dee Williams, thank you very much for sharing this wonderful series with us. I remember watching it back in 1975, when it was first shown on ITV - when I was a 14 year old boy and again when it was repeated by ITV - as part of The Queen's Silver Jubilee Celebrations in 1977 and it was as compulsive viewing for me now, as it was back then.
I still have the TV Times Jubilee Souvenir large booklet of the series which was published in 1977 and I bought with cash from my paper round!
Thanks again Dee xx.
One of the best if not the best mini series ever made. Thank you so much do sharing.
In Britain it is considered a series not a mini series
A brilliant, well acted series
Excellent show! I am amazed at how much time this show covered. The politics, the fashions, technology, and power changed. The last three episodes set the world up for the rest of the 20th century.
I hate when a really good mini-series ends. We who view it become part of the story. Thanks Miss Dee For putting most of it on.
The Actor's and Actresses portrayed their character with such passion. Thank you for sharing all the episodes.
A great series that i have really enjoyed watching again after all these years . Thanks for sharing.
Whether a person is a monarchist or not. history is fascinating. Especially the history of the British monarchy.
Gosh, even I used to smoke a lot of cigars and pipes.
Thank God, I have stopped now.
I think back in those days people didn't know much about cancer and cardiac problems?
Properly wasn't much knowledge on the health topics and wouldn't be fully understand until much later in the century.
My deepest thanks to dee williams for posting this breathtakingly superb series. Second time seeing it and won't be the last. The quality of this program puts all the others to shame.
Old style tv-series, with the best actors.
Edward VII was a great king. It's almost a crime how he was treated as a youth and then when his mother didn't take him into her confidence and teach him to rule, it was a waste. Yet he turned out to be a superior king who only got 9 years to reign. Imagine if he'd had 20 years. I don't think World War I would have happened under his reign as he was one of the last kings who could influence his government and basically tell them "No." His son George V wasn't in the same league and basically did what his government asked him to do. Edward was truly the last king of England with any real power.
George V wasn't the pushover your comment implies. He set a very important precedent when he refused to accept Lord Curzon as prime minister (because of his membership of the Lords) and instead chose Stanley Baldwin from the Commons.
Since then we have never had a prime minister from the House of Lords.
Edward had a very strong personality, very affable, likable, a people person. His reputation and popularity allowed him to be politically influential where he shouldn’t have been. George V didn’t have the personality or the reputation.
Neil Sapre You forget the 1839 Treaty of London.
@@zarabada6125 not Edward 7 falut
George V was a great wartime king. Edward VII would probably have spent the war years in Paris, chasing can can dancers.
I have finished watching all 13 eps and I must say this was a beautiful series to watch
Amazing dramatisation and historically acuarate. The costumes are very special - wow. Thankyou for sharing.
Sorry I meant accurate
@@deborahw9179 INNaccurate !!
For the era they put alot more effort into there costumes than most now days sadly the hats are my biggest problem with the costumes but the dresses on the ladies are very accurate
What a sensitive and loving portrayal of the royal family. It seemed honest (even of the vices) without trying to be sensational or humiliating. Very classy. Loved the portrayals of Alix and George, also! Oh, and Kaiser Wilhem! Thank you so much for sharing.
Highly sanitised. One of his mistresses, Lady Harriet Mordaunt, was, because of the scandal of her affair with Edward, committed to an asylum in which she died - 36 years later. Better insane than promiscuous. Edward lied in court about the affair and turned a blind eye to Harriet's incarceration - even though he could have had her freed very easily. Her own family had her put away but Edward stood aside - no doubt happy that the embarrassment was removed from the public eye. He wasn't quite the loveable old rake this sycophantic portrayal makes him out to be.
Oh wow. I'd like to read his biography now. Thank you for the information. What a tragic story!
+DorianDevereaux The Mordaunt story is touched on in the series, but not the results of her being declared mad, which I agree is a sanitization of a very unpleasant action by Edward and the royals. There seems to be some actual debate as to whether or not she was really mad, but much of her diagnosis does come off as politically expedient. Her case seems indicative not only of what one might expect if one becomes "inconvenient' to the powerful, but also generally of what rights women had at the time. Here is her Wikipedia entry at any rate. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Mordaunt#Asylum_at_Chiswick
@@bfdidc6604 I do not think Edward was yet King when the Mourdant episode happened.
@@mikelheron20... Hence truth being stranger than fiction.
Drama and history at its best. Royalty as will never be seen again
wait until they crown Billy
Thank goodness! Nine tigers.
The prime minister is a revolutionary
45 years after this story was told, I shed some tears.
Damn it, now I'm crying. He seemed like such a good person. He was badly mistreated in his youth and I think that had he been allowed, he could have made some very important changes for his people.
Revolutionary garbage.. you aren't very studied in history.. control the people.. your own people with taxes.. especially landowners
It
He had countless affairs right under his wife's nose. Arrogant. Total disrespect and humiliation.
@@mrelano65 well in fairness it was his cousin
@@mrelano65
It was an arranged
marriage to create
the next generation
of heirs/rulers of
Europe.
Back in those days
it was the norm for
wealthy men to find
mistresses when
their wife was done
childbearing (no
reliable birth control)
The royal women were
not afforded the
same freedom.
Super series. Great acting, really well portrayed and actually stimulating/interesting to watch. On a totally different level to the majority of today’s sensationalist nonsense and soaps.
I really loved this series. Very much enjoyed it as I love the history of the royals of Europe. All the actors were superb and the lady that played Alexandra reminded me so much like Deborah Kerr, looks and her voice.
West was only 37 when he played this role. He's still alive now, at 84. Still working too.
Love ❤️ his canal trips with his wife
Shgu
I saw him in Ever After and hadn’t seen this but thought I recognized him from Nicholas and Alexadra.
@@davidcouch6514he’s in tht as the doctor
And when he played the role he asked his 85 year old great aunt about the real king who by all accounts she met in 1908
I'd forgotten how wonderfully done this was thank you for the upload really excellent acting beautifully handled they ought to reshow it on TV
Pardon me but as soon as I sent my comment , I remembered the exact quote of Edward VIII Duke of Windsor " ICE ran through my mother's veins " Nothing like being a' know it all ' and NOT knowing it all at the time!!!
Smokers coughs were part of my childhood. I remember old men, uncles, neighbours, being completely overcome with fits off coughing, and then shaking it off and carrying on as if they hardly noticed.
The fact that Alix allowed Mrs Keppel to be with the King as he died shows what a very special lady she must have been.
Adrian Larkins I think it was apocryphal tho
@@Patrick3183 no it wasnt. Alice was invited to say goodbye but Alex did' not really want to have her there but shed promised Edward,....
I'm sure Alix was thinking, "let me catch her alone....wig split time"
I love this series. Timothy West, Helen Ryan, Annette Crosbie and all the rest of the actors/actresses are excellent. What a great cast. I first saw this series when I was 15 on channel 13 in 1975. I've been watching it again the last week and a half finished it tonight.
tim west is a national treasure
Excellent series ! At 80 and a ' history buff ' this is a most important ' period ' of that era the consequences of which had GREATLY effected our 20th century that constituted my life time and that I spent so much time and money on books of all sides to understand it.This production is so spot on in EVERY way - scenes,costumes,sets, mannerisms, and ESPECIALLY the characters!!! One in particular, the future Queen MARY = stone face in everyone of her scenes and let's us understand the abdicated Edward Vlll' quote, I believe I have it right, " lead ran through my mothers veins". Watching this makes me fell I could have saved all that time and money!!! Thank you whomever!
Was it George V after Edward VII?
@@racheldemain1940 Yes. But learn to use google -- this is a silly question and you have access to the answer.
Alexandra was one classy lady.
Really wished they'd continued in onto George V's reign.
Actually, I was thinking, why don't they, even now, make series like this one!
I quite agree. George V's portrayal would be quite an interesting one, considering the fact that he reigned during some of the eventful yesrs of British history.
The closest production to that is _The Fall of Eagles_ miniseries ruclips.net/video/Wo21LRTc1Uc/видео.html which depicts the emperors of Germany, Austria and Russia between 1853 and 1918.
Not quite George V's reign, but Bertie & Elizabeth (2002) picks up 10 years after this (in 1920) and continues right up to 1952.
Then they would have needed to add "and "George V"!
He wanted to be king so badly when it was about to end he couldn’t let go.....he was a dutiful King!!!!
Wow, I love this series. Beautifully done. They really brought these historical people to life, that I've only read about, for years. Thank you for posting these.
Bertie was quite a guy. Too bad he was not in better health. He may have prevented the start of WWI.
I doubt even he could have prevented World War One.
ruclips.net/video/QUHIZQLMo-0/видео.html
@@kevinlongman007 He did manage to postpone it for his lifetime.
What nonsense
Unloved by strict, demanding parents, he had other virtues that they could not, or WOULD not see.
A wonderful series. Well casted and acted. Has lasted very well with the passage of time.
The meeting with the Czar’s family is actually accurate. The private language of the Czar’s family was English.
That’s true, Alexandra was brought by Queen Victoria in England after the death of Alexandra’s mother, Princess Alice. The Tsarina grew up speaking English and disliked the Russian language
His kindness for working community is real heart touch! He visited the workers street like poor to know them!
I can't believe that George "feared" his father. He seems to have genuinely loved him and Bertie loved him.
I know it almost doesn't make sense why George V was so stern and almost cruel to his children if his father was his best friend and caring grandfather...
When George was growing up his father wasn't around that much with his busy social life but when he did see his children he was very affectionate however he had a fearsome temper which nobody could quell . Also I'm pretty sure you're referring to the quote where he says 'My father was frightened of his mother, I was frightened of my father and I'm going to make damned well sure my children are frightened of me'... well there's virtually no evidence or direct source to actually suggest he even said that it's most likely that quote was passed on by here-say . much like 'We are not amused'
Perkin, the royals have a history of intolerance towards any kind of weakness/disability and Edward VIII had a low IQ - just one point above imbecility - and a stammer. George V found it difficult to empathise and 'took it out on him'.
dee you mean George vi had a stammer, Edward the viii was a brat however
@@periperigord Is there documentation for either the low IQ or the stammer?
Watched all 13 parts (first 3 on another channel) and I was so engrossed. After finishing it, I find myself thinking about the characters....like I'm still engrossed in this world. I was born in the 80s and this was amazingly done.
I was born in the 40s so I can relate to this chapter for sure wonderful wonderful production all the way around
Love this type of history
George V was a very handsome man in his younger years. I like his soft spoken, reflective manner.
Saddly he does not seem to have been like that in real life. All accounts describe him as rigidly regimented, and a boorish bully.
He bullied his sons (not his daughter) to the point that they stuttered and were pretty much incompetent.
@@katherinek2709 Children are a product of their environment, Victoria and Albert regimented every aspect of their kid's lives it suffocated the future Edward VII who didn't have the character to live in such discipline so when he became a father he didn't restrict his kids. But George V saw the vicariousness of Edward VII life and didn't want to become his father as it bought the reputation of monarchy in disrepute so he was more stricter with his kids, ironically this tormented the future Edward VIII and his sons, result one king abdicated and the other king a nervous wreck. George VI feared his father disciplinarian ways so he learned to be much more gentler with his girls. So there is a pattern here every subsequent heir was opposite to their predecessor. Elizabeth II was said to be distant and formal with her kids, but Charles is friends with his boys more hands on than his mother.
I think the actor who plays George V, is probably better than the real man.
Katherine K George V was a good man and a good king, but he was very strict, aye. All that aside, I still think he cared for his sons in his own way. And likewise, he loved his father very much...admitting he was as much his best friend as he was his dad. But all the same, his son, George VI, was a great man and a greater king. Both men led their countries through terrible, destructive conflicts and did splendid jobs of it. George V could’ve been less rigid, true, but his rigidity did have its place and purpose and while he had his flaws his reign was a sound one.
Incredible acting by Timothy West as the H.M. The King and Helen Ryan as H.M. queen Alexandra.
Great series. Thank you.
19:02-19:15
King Edward: "After all, that's what we work for: the world that we leave our sons.
Tsar Nicholas: "If we have the courage."
King Edward: "Oh, I'm sure you have the courage. I only hope you have the time."
Poignant, in retrospect, when you consider what happened barely a decade later.
DharmaRanga and when Princess Alexandra said to herself in front of her sister Dagmar (Minnie) the Tsarevna Maria Feodorovna and her husband Tsarevitch Alexander ( Sasha).....when her son George and her nephew Nicky were little.... :" God protect them"...
What happened to the Romanovs in 1917-18 was decades in the making. Alexander II tried to be a more liberal-minded Tsar, but his son (Alexander III) undid all that when he became Tsar.
Would things had been different, had Nicholas listened to Bertie? Probably. But the key here is that he didn't, he couldn't and he wouldn't.
@@malcolml309 Agree. The effort to hide the heir's disability doomed any chance they might have had to salvage the dynasty.
@@malcolml309 I think one of the main problems with Nicholas II's rule in Russia was not the rule itself, but was the political autocratic system by which he ruled under. Autocracy may have worked in the 18th century during the rule of Peter I aka "Peter the Great", but it was unworkable in the 20th century during the rule of Nicholas II's reign. Had russia been a constitutional monarchy I think Nicholas II would have been a great and respected ruler and the russian monarchy would have most likely continued instead of ending so violently the way it actually did.
Thank you for posting these. Great scripts. Great actors too. A program I always enjoy watching. A snapshot of history.
THANK YOU so much for uploading this magnificent series. Very much appreciated.
This is a wonderful series.
First time I'd seen this in 2020... I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you for posting.
Thanks for posting. I enjoyed the series very much.
Excellent. Even brilliant. Engrossing - even for someone who grew up thinking he an his lot were some of the most boring and overestimated people on the planet. And if I ever run into that fool again I shall slap him hard upside the head with the facts. In fact, it could hardly be improved upon - although it might have benefited from newsreel or file footage of his funeral, which was one of the most remarkable events, in peacetime at least, of the last century. A great story, really well-written, superbly staged and acted. Much thanks for the upload.
It has been delightful watching this series.
Wonderful series, thank you for loading it. cheers.
This was a brilliant series!
Thank you for posting these. 🇬🇧
As educational, highly entertaining & extremely well-acted now, as it was in 1975 (see immediately below). Thank you Dee. 😊👍.
I remember this series - I loved it. Some great 70s actors there, including Christoper Neame (Colditz, Secret Army) as the Kaiser, and Felicity (Good Life etc) Kendal as his mother. They are about the same age irl.
Edward 7 was great king, He had bully Mother bully Father, way did sometime bad thing
His final act of rebellion was to ask for a priest (RC) to be summoned to the Palace shortly before he died.
So nice ,, splendid ,, thanks alot for sharing ,,
I feel physical pain every time I here him hacking, and extreme amazement every time he lights a new cigar. WHY DOES HE CONTINUE TO DO THIS TO HIMSELF!!!!!!!
Because they didn't know back then.
His son King George V was exactly the same!
@@bellaarnone7999 And George VI too
And the Duke of Windsor (Edward VIII).
It's called "an addiction".
Thank you, so much, for posting! I finally got to see the whole thing, from start to finish! I loved all of the dramatic histories that they used to make back in the 60's and 70's... So nice to have seen this one, again!
Bertie was an excellent King. One wonders if he could have stopped WW1.
He might have been able to delay it or perhaps even have limited kept certain countries from fighting, but nothing I think could have completely stopped it from happening
Do love this man....even his worst enemy loved him! Every time he lights a cigar I shudder for him.....
When will you meet the actor then ? Because you like a fiction. This dramatization is innacurate.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar
Thanks for this enlightening series
I just feel so incredibly sorry for Toria. She never got to have her own life. If Edward had not been such a philanderer, Alix would not have become so emotionally dependent on her daughter.
GiftSparks Victoria had to stay at home because Alix had lost her first son pretty early and therefore had a problem with letting go
Edward had nothing to do with Toria's not marrying. One of the customs of the time was that one daughter remained unmarried and at home with the parents as a companion. Beatrice did this for Victoria, and one of Helena's daughters did the same for her. While Beatrice was allowed to marry, it was on condition that she and her spouse were to live with Victoria.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Victoria_of_the_United_Kingdom
@@gidzmobug2323 Beatrix went to a wedding in Russia and fell in love with a prince. She wanted to get married but Victoria forbade it. This resulted in Beatrix and Victoria eating in silence for 6 months. Victoria finally caved with the proviso that Beatrix and the prince live with her. The couple had 4 childern,I think ,and a happy marriage. The prince died from a fever on board ship on his way to fight in the Ashanti war. Beatrix eventually moved into a cottage on the grounds of Osborne house until her death. She is buried on the grounds of Osbourne house. Her youngest daughter who was quite a beauty married the king of Spain passing the hemophilia gene on to her son.
@@sheilaghbrosky I am afraid you have Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands confused with Princess Beatrice of the UK.
*The second lady (Beatrice) was Victoria's daughter. She married Prince Henry of Battenberg.
*The first lady (Beatrix) married a French Count (Henri de Monzepat).
Wilhelm: Only I keep my people in CHECK! EVERYTHING I have SACRIFICED, EVERYTHING for the affection I have for YOU, FOR OUR FAMILY, AND SEE HOW I AM TREATED CRUELLY, SO CRUELLY MISUNDERSTOOD ON ALL SIDES! I--! (Wilhelm is about to cry) EXCUSE ME! (Runs out the room.)
(What follows is my own additional alternate dialogue)
Advisor: Good God, You actually made him cry, Your Highness! What did you do?
Edward VII: Nothing: I just pointed out that we were increasing our forces because Germany was increasing theirs, and I mildly asked "how?" after he claimed that he prevented England's losing South Africa.
Advisor: That's it?! What a crybaby!
Edward VII: Yes, I know. Poor Willy.
Though I'm making fun of this scene, I am a huge fan of Christopher Neame's portrayal of Kaiser Wilhelm II. He's hilarious, he's outrageous, he's scary, he's emotionally unstable, and I love it. His lines about always being "MISUNDERSTOOD!" still crack me up, and are very fun to imitate.
Cephalopod51 yes, marvelous acting to create and then stay in that character.
When you think about the effect of tobacco on world history !!! Imagine if the kaisers father had lived but he died of throat cancer and then Edward the 7th died early of COPD all down to their smoking . king George also feed ofCOPD and George 6th died of lung cancer .what a terrible tole
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco
I really enjoyed this. Thank you for posting.
Thanks so much for uploading. Did not know much about Edward and really enjoyed it.
Mrs Keppel invented the story about being summoned by Queen Alexandra to see Bertie in his dying days. Francis Knollys said he was already flat on his back and barely conscious. Alice pestered her way in, threw a hysterical fit and had to be led away.
Fantastic series.
It is so nice to read the other people’s comments and how they were affected by this series and how they felt for the King, nice to know you are not alone in relating to this great series. I watched a few years ago and now again and I am sure I would want to watch it more times. Mit was so sad that he had to die as the world ended up needing people like him even more. But I am glad he missed the horrible world wars of the new world. How he would have hated that terrible destruction. It really was the end of an era. All the wars and all the revolutions still haven’t helped the poor or solved anything, so what use are they? But a good King at least can make all kinds of people feel delight and pleasure, whatever their daily world is. They are not perfect but I love the old Kings and Queens. I know a lot of them did terrible things. I don’t love that. I love the part of them that created beauty.
I wonder what happened to the first three parts? They have been deleted which is puzzling. Or maybe I just couldn’t find where they were still here. Anybody know?
You still can't find them on here
One inaccurancy---raised in a home where German was the first language Edward V11 spoke English with a German accent.
That's a myth. Bertie was English, born and raised in England. There is one recording of his voice in existence, and he had the usual upper-class English accent, with no trace of German. His mother likewise had no German accent.
I thought the same thing! I'm currently reading The Heir Apparent by Jane Ridley and she mentions his slight German accent and how he was made fun of because of it. German WAS the first language of Victoria and Albert's household. The accent is no myth.
If a child begins learning the other language(s) before the age of 10-12 (variation depending on the individual & circumstances), there is no first-language accent.
As far as I'm aware, Edward had native English-speaking nannies, with whom he spent most of his time in his early years, so there is no linguistic reason for him to have a German accent on his English.
@@LynxSouth, perhaps I'm mistaken, but I was under the impression that Baroness Lehtzen was in charge of the nursery when Bertie was a young child.
@@GavinsMarineMom Lehzen was dismissed when Edward was still a baby. And after that, there were years of tutors. He had more than enough other influences to speak native English. I think the German-accent nonsense is anti-monarchist propaganda that takes advantage of people's lack of understanding of language acquisition.
Bertie's smokers cough is physically painful to listen to.
Adelaide Beeman-White emphysema is what it's called today
@@3monsters014 He smoked between 10 - 12 cigars and 20 cigarettes a day for fifty years...caught up to him in the end.
@@3monsters014 Or COPD.
@@MsVanorak Smoking will do that to you. Regardless of how often the tobacco manufacturers claim they can make smoking safer, people's lives are still cut short by it!
50 million deaths every year caused by cigarettes....THAT IS THE REAL PANDEMIC. !!!!!!
Moving and delightful.
At this point in the series I am STILL in awe of the costumes...especially the Tiaras. I used to know which was whicb. Let part 2 begin.
Read she'd said, amusingly, following his death, "At least I know where he is." Oh the plight of the wife with a cheating husband.
There were cheating wives then, too. But is was more acceptable at that time for a man to have a wife and a mistress than it was for a wife to have a lover.
Particularly in those days when it was virtually expected for the prince or king to have mistresses. Especially since, by all account, she did love him-and him her.
Enjoyed every minute.. Thankyou
I think the makers of this series are to be congratulated for not playing into the “Burtie the Bounder” stereotype. Extra History, in their recent series on the British conquest of India, described him as lazy and disinterested in the affairs of his people. Nothing could be further from the truth.
What a wonderful series! I had never seen nor heard of it before, but once I found it, I was hooked. I watched all 13 episodes in 2 days and didn't want it to end. I then had to watch Elizebeth R, with Glenda Jackson, also and excellent mini-series. Unfortunately, it's not on RUclips. I had to get Britbox to watch it.
What a Great sarees Thanks for posing
listening to king's cough makes my chest painful
I had Covid-19. Hearing and seeing his cough made my chest hurt as I remember how much that hacking dry cough hurt! Ugh...
@@jodiuhron1979 I am glad you are well now. Stay healthy and safe.
I've read that in real life, it was Bertie who asked for Alice, and while Alexandra acquiesced, it hurt her deeply. Also, Keppel became hysterical during the brief visit, crying loudly & babbling to the Queen "our relationship was innocent" and she had to be removed quickly.
Alice Keppel was the great great Grandmother of Camilla the current Queen Consort.
Дуже дякуємо за фільм сподобалось.
Love this series.
Thanks for posting.
Strange that Helen Ryan isn't a name as well known as Mirren, Dench et al.
Perhaps she preferred a quieter life lol
The Kaiser & the Czar were not emotionally fit to rule gigantic empires; Willy was unbalanced, probably largely due to his physical disability & Nicky refused to listen to the sound advice offered to him after witnessing his grandfather's death by assassination.
I would think definitely his disability played into it but mostly what I've read about the treatments given to him for it over the years is pure torture and I would think that would be what the profound effect was from.
@@pamelameadows9717 Yes. It's shame this 'treatment' had such tragic consequences for the world.
Alicky spoke perfect English (unlike here). Her being Queen Victoria’s granddaughter she hung around her court very often ...
true
The Kaiser's wife also spoke fluent English and the Kaiser's children had an English governess. Alicky was also pro-English and did not like the Kaiser. The Kaiser did try to save the life of his cousin Elisabeth of Hesse, Alicky's sister but she refused to go to Germany in 1918. The Kaiser loved Elisabeth of Hesse and did want to marry her but she refused.
Really it got on my nerves that Alicky could be portrayed as soaking ANYTHING but Court English! After the death of her mother, she and her sister Elizabeth were raised under the close eye of the Queen Victoria, who didn't approve of either of their subsequent marriages into Russia.
kaiser wilhelm: insane
ruclips.net/video/QUHIZQLMo-0/видео.html
Deborah Crawford Bi Polar?
His mother was not kind to him because of his disability.
@@VolumedMusicMan I do not think that his parents were unkind. Rather, there were the expectations on Wilhelm, plus Fritz' family was not fond of Vicky.
Katheryne Koelker I am thinking of how his parents allowed Willie to go through stressful situations such as: neck surgery, placing his arm on a dead animal, straightening his posture with a steel rod. There were letters recently discovered from Willie to his mom. He was trying to reach to her for acceptance and intimacy. Her remarks were distant and formal. It was unacceptable to Victoria Jr. to have a “cripple” in her royal family.
Just got done watching episodes 1 to 13 took 2 1/2 days now I wish I could find the six wives of Henry the VIII staring Keith Mitchell
Novel that plans for a channel tunnel were being discussed way back in Edward VII's reign? Apparently the idea goes back to the early 1800's.
A decade after this serial aired, the project was signed off. I just love the history lessons given in this all the way through.
The picture taken at the beginning was published exactly as said, with the caption Is it War or Peace? Campbell Bannerman told a friend that they were discussing whether halibut better boiled or baked.
The King is dead. Long live the King. 😢
I have always been touched that Caesar, his dear doggie, also marched in his funeral cortège, on a lead, with a handler. Witnesses said that Caesar behaved as if he knew this would be his service for his master.
Caesar wore a tag (probly a silver medal) around his neck thy said, "I am Caesar. I am the King's." After the funeral he went to live with Lillie Langtree, conspicuous in her absence from this series. But the series about her life and long friendship with Edward is also here online.
+michelle stein-evers frankl In fact Lily Langtree is in the series. Not much, but she is there in one of the earlier episodes.
Caesar didn't go to live with Lillie Langtree. Queen Alexandra assumed care of him, and quite spoiled him, until his death in 1914. Caesar is buried on the grounds of Marlborough House, the former home of the King and Queen. 😊
I love Alix! She is the best! Although i am german and she hates the german, but i forgive her. ;-)
"He was my bet friend." and yet the quote that he was afraid of his father still is reported as fact when there is not proof he ever said it.
Betwwen his misstress and booze and smoking l am surprised he lived as long as he did.
Helen Ryan as Alexandra was absolutely amazing.
Love this series.
In the scene which begins at 4:39 in the office of then British Prime Minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman there are four other men with the prime minister. One is Lord Esher who was a sort of special advisor to Edward VII. The other three men Henry Asquith, David Lloyd George, and Winston Churchill were members of the Prime Minister's cabinet. But the three men would also be future prime ministers themselves. When was the last time in british political history that an incumbent prime minister had three people serving in cabinet posts who would in the future also serve as UK Prime Minister. Remarkable coincidence.
This program is great… well done! Everything I have heard about this King was that he was a spoiled good for nothing……now I know that couldn’t be further from the truth!
Alix's deafness is occasionally hilarious. 41:59 "Now, you go and change." "No, Bertie, I'm going to go and change." =D
madiantin in another episode Alexandra mishears Bertie as saying “I’m going to evict him” meaning Willy when he said something else entirely! The shocked look on Alexandra’s face is everything.