1969 Documentary about The Queen & Family

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook You just need someone's face to put on the currency and the stamps. Oh, and to deal with all the cr@p that the newspapers throw at them Steve

If Helen Mirren doesn't want the job, I would vote for Stephen Fry.
We could do a lot worse than have him as head of state

Steve

[Mediatheque]

'The Royal Family' (1969) is now available to view free of charge in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank. The Queen's first televised Christmas broadcast (1957) will be available to view from December.

[orpheum]

I suppose the biggest arguement against a President is George W.Bush.Who is a bigger prat him or Charles?I have to say that i am against inherited privilege.I dont see that it gives them any particular rights.After all there ancestors dont even come from this country!

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by orpheum I suppose the biggest arguement against a President is George W.Bush.Who is a bigger prat him or Charles?I have to say that i am against inherited privilege.I dont see that it gives them any particular rights.After all there ancestors dont even come from this country!

Vote for Stephen Fry. At least he's honest about his shady past

Talking of people who's ancestors don't even come from this country (how many do if you go back far enough?)...
By that measure, when was the last time we had an English King or Queen?
We've had Germans (Windsor / Saxe-Coburg etc), Dutch (William III), Scots (Stuarts), Welsh (Tudors), French (Plantagenets and Normandy). But there hasn't been an English monarch for a long time.

Steve

[orpheum]

Ok what about Harold or King Canute or Ethelred the unready?

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by orpheum Ok what about Harold or King Canute or Ethelred the unready?

Exactly, a long time ago

Although Canute (Cnut) was of Viking stock and also reigned over parts of Norway.

BTW William the Conqueror was a Viking as well. The Vikings raided and then settled in that part of France, mixing with the original French inhabitants.

Ethelred wasn't badly prepared. The soubriquet "unready" derives from the Anglo-Saxon Unræd, which means "without counsel" and also plays on his name which literally means "good counsel".

Harold was also very close to the Vikings. His two wives were both Danish.
But Harold did have a rough old time of it when Harold Hardrada landed in Yorkshire in September 1066 and defeated some local Earls. Harold Godwinson marched his men up to Yorkshire in 4 days and defeated Hardrada at Stamford Bridge. Then William landed with 7,000 men in Sussex and Harold had to march his men 240 miles south in 3 days to fight them as well.

Harold Hardrada and William of Normany (William the Bastard) both contested Harold Godwinson's claim to the English throne. And they both had a point. Godwinson had promised the English throne to quite a few people in return for their helping him.

OK, that's enough history for today

Steve

[orpheum]

I have been to Battle Abbey.Harold should have won as he was on the high ground.A clear case of "we wuz robbed".

[SwingingLondon]

OMG, what has happened to this thread?

It was supposed to be a question about the 1969 documentary.

Look what happens when you bring up the issue of the Royal family.

Well, I'll take it that no one has a copy then.

[christoph404]

Originally Posted by SwingingLondon OMG, what has happened to this thread? It was supposed to be a question about the 1969 documentary. Look what happens when you bring up the issue of the Royal family. Well, I'll take it that no one has a copy then.

I think member Mediatheque gave a good pointer as to where you could at least view it free, but looks like no one has a copy I guess, but no need to let that get in the way of a good discussion!!....its what the forum is all about after all! I hope you have some luck in finding a copy.

[SwingingLondon]

Originally Posted by christoph404 I think member Mediatheque gave a good pointer as to where you could at least view it free, but looks like no one has a copy I guess, but no need to let that get in the way of a good discussion!!....its what the forum is all about after all! I hope you have some luck in finding a copy.

Thanks...hadn't noticed his message. Especially annoying as I went to the Mediateque for the first time today & would have checked it out!

I'd recommend a visit to everyone here who is interested in old British films and TV archives. It's really good. Unfortunately you can't access the stuff on the internet unless you go to a public library.

[Mediatheque]

Originally Posted by SwingingLondon I'd recommend a visit to everyone here who is interested in old British films and TV archives. It's really good. Unfortunately you can't access the stuff on the internet unless you go to a public library.

Glad you liked it. Afraid material from the Mediatheque is only currently available in the Mediatheque at BFI Southbank due to rights. The BFI only owns rights to about 10% of the titles that we are currently making available. That said, the first out-of-London Mediatheque will be opening in Derby in June/July 2008 with several more scheduled for 2008/9. These will all contain exactly the same content, but will additionally have a specific focus on regionally relevant titles.

You can, however, access screenonline clips and films in most UK libraries.

[SwingingLondon]

My only gripe about the Mediateque would be the incredible amount of noise people make coming in & going out. My viewing pleasure was disrupted several times by this, even though I was at the far end of the room.
People should be politely encouraged to keep their voices down when making inquiries at the reception desk etc...as it is really a sort of library.
But apart from that I think it's absolutely terrific. I'm really looking forward to returning ASAP.

[Mark O]

Thanks for the info on Mediatheque.........I recall 'Royal family' was so poular when first broadcast that it was repeated again within the space of a year, though I have read recently that it will never be shown on British TV again.......which is a pity I think

I believe it was initially broadcast in the Summer of 1969 as I once asked the details on Q & A forum about Judy Garland's demise (she was living in a London Mews house) and it was on her TV apparently until she argued with her Husband and went storming out of the house!

[ron7885]

most other european countries no longer have royal families,presidents and prime ministers have replace them. would i prefer to be a subject or a citizen? would either way lower are tax burden. perhaps if we did away with the royals,a lot of money could be saved,but i doubt it,the tax people would think up of a way to keep the savings,to keep the royal family?,well look at the tourist industry,the royals bring a lot of people to the UK.

[SwingingLondon]

Originally Posted by ron7885 most other european countries no longer have royal families,presidents and prime ministers have replace them. would i prefer to be a subject or a citizen? would either way lower are tax burden. perhaps if we did away with the royals,a lot of money could be saved,but i doubt it,the tax people would think up of a way to keep the savings,to keep the royal family?,well look at the tourist industry,the royals bring a lot of people to the UK.

Countries that don't have a Royal family have perfectly healthy tourist industries.

If they went we'd still have the palaces etc...& people could actually go in them and look around.