The British royal family’s art hoard has paintings, photography, jewellery and more to browse around and dip into, with the facility to flit from the recent past – the many portraits of Elizabeth II, for example – to distant history, such as the Anthony van Dyck painting commissioned by Charles I in an effort to portray himself as a ruler still in control. Or one can explore, say, how a love of art brought Queen Victoria and Prince Albert closer together.
This programme does all that, offering analysis that hasn’t much pizzazz but competently fills you in on the key details. For fans of the monarchy, it’s a feast.
There are more than a million pieces in the Royal Art Treasures collection, ranging from priceless Faberge Eggs and the Crown Jewels, to family portraits by old masters and contemporary artists. And behind every object there is a remarkable and often untold story. This documentary hears from art historians, royal insiders and experts as cameras take a closer look at the secrets of these fabulous objects.
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