As Queen Elizabeth II has just passed away and with her the longest reign in the history of the British monarchy, the whole kingdom has paid a heartfelt tribute to the woman who has fulfilled her role as monarch despite the storms that have marked the last seven decades.
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Let's take a look back at her life and at the events that marked the 20th century and had an impact on the late Queen, from near or far, with these 5 films, series and documentaries.
The Crown (2016): historical series dedicated to the reign of Elizabeth II
Created by Peter Morgan, a specialist in the history of the British monarchy, the series The Crown has been a real success on Netflix. Mixing family and political crises, the viewers discover the life of the royal family with the evolution of several characters who gravitate around the Queen such as Princess Margaret and Prince Charles, the Duke of Edinburgh. All of this is punctuated by the key events in the country's history, which have inevitably had an impact on the monarchy and on Elizabeth II's exercise of Royal Duty.
Over six seasons, the show traces much of the longest reign in the history of English monarchs. The first two seasons cover her marriage to the throne and the birth of her four children. The next two seasons, which jump back in time and allow the entire cast to change, cover events from 1964 to 1990, including Margaret Thatcher's tenure, Prince Charles' marriage to Lady Di, Winston Churchill's death and Princess Margaret's divorce.
The fifth and sixth seasons focus on the 1990s, a decade that saw the death of Princess Diana and the divorces of Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Charles, among others.
To play the most famous Queen in modern history, who is now being replaced by her son, Prince Charles, Netflix cast actress Claire Foy in her younger years, Olivia Colman in the middle two seasons and Imelda Staunton for the queen during the 1990s.
The King's Speech (2010), about the childhood of Queen Elizabeth II
The multi-award-winning film released in 2010 is not about the Queen directly but about her predecessor, King George VI played by Colin Firth.
We discover part of her childhood before the Second World War and above all how she ended up on the throne when nothing destined her to do so, apart from being a member of the British royal family.
Indeed, at the beginning of 1936, when George V died, Elizabeth II's grandfather gave way to his son, Edward VIII, as the order of succession provided. However, the latter had no desire to reign unless he was accompanied by the woman he loved called Wallis Simpson, an American who was twice divorced. A scandal at the time and a marriage that was simply impossible for his rank. The only way out for him was abdication.
This is what happened at the end of 1936 when Edward VIII gave way to his brother Albert, who became George VI. Elizabeth and her younger sister Margaret took the title of Princess Royal and were eligible to rule.
Next, the future Queen of the United Kingdom had to prepare to take the throne one day when her father died.
The Queen (2006)
Released in 2006, Stephen Fears' film, which won the Best Actress Oscar for Dame Helen Mirren, told the story of one of the most significant events in Elizabeth II's reign.
On 31 August 1997, Lady Diana, the former Princess of Wales and newly divorced from Prince Charles, was killed in a road accident under the Pont de l'Alma in Paris. A real national tragedy for the British people, who were very attached to her. Queen Elizabeth was nevertheless conspicuous by her absence and silence.
Withdrawn to Balmoral, the controversy swelled and the people began to criticize her lack of compassion and emotion. Especially as the tensions between the Queen and her former daughter-in-law were well known.
In an attempt to put an end to the crisis, the Prime Minister at the time, Tony Blair, even intervened with the Queen. The movie describes The Queen's family drama that turned into a political crisis that shook the monarchy in the late 1990s.
The Iron Lady (2011)
Played by Meryl Streep, this movie is about Margaret Thatcher who served as Prime Minister during a time of unprecedented economic crisis in the UK. Highly unpopular because of her conservative policies, the so-called Iron Lady came face to face with the Queen of England on a weekly basis in her traditional interview.
In the film, we discover a part of the history of the United Kingdom, the strikes, wars and protests that marked the 70s and 80s under the reign of Elizabeth II. Moreover, the film displays the personality of an emblematic woman who rubbed shoulders with the Queen.
More than a film about the monarchy, the film focuses on a period that was significant for both the British people and the monarch.
The Queen in Australia (1954)
The Queen in Australia is the first colour documentary film to be made in Australia and lasts approximately one hour. It follows and relates the royal visit of Queen Elizabeth between 1953 and 1954 to this territory, which is part of the Commonwealth and therefore part of her kingdom.
This was her first visit as Queen. Previously, her father King George VI had sent her on a royal tour a year earlier, when she was only a Princess Royal. It was during these trips that she learned of her father's death and thus his accession to the throne.
Available on Youtube, the documentary allows us to discover the first steps of the Queen when she was only 27 years old, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip on the Australian lands during her royal visit which lasted two months.
This article was translated from Oh!MyMag FR.
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