Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen - documentary reveals 'the fun behind the formality' of Royal life

The BBC is set to release a new documentary titled 'Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen,' which will reveal the Queen's early royal life and show private footage and images from the Royal Family's private collection.

• The BBC is preparing to release a new documentary about the Queen.
• This documentary will celebrate Her Majesty's early life ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.
• In other royal news, Prince Charles' secret weapon as King that may outshine Prince William's popularity.

In celebration of Her Majesty's 70-year reign on the throne, the BBC is releasing a documentary about the Queen's early childhood. This one is particularly special as it features exclusive unseen footage from the Royal Family's private videos that were taken over the years.

The Unseen Queen trailer 

A trailer has been released ahead of the release of the documentary. The short trailer reveals a little bit about what this exciting documentary will contain.

The Unseen Queen narrator

Some fans may have recognized the voice of the narrator for this documentary, and for good reason! The Queen herself sat down at Windsor Castle and recorded some of her thoughts about this documentary.  

"Cameras have always been a part of our lives," the Queen revealed in one part of the documentary. "I think there’s a difference to watching a home movie when you know who it is on the other side of the lens, holding the camera. It adds to the sense of intimacy."

The Queen added that it was the Queen Mother and King George VI who filmed most of the footage in the documentary. "Like many families, my parents wanted to keep a record of our precious moments together. And when it was our turn with our own family, we did the same.”

"I always enjoyed capturing family moments, added Her Majesty. "Private photos can often show the fun behind the formality."

The Queen revealed that while this family footage is now being televised, it is much like the private videos and photos that will be in the households of most families. "I expect just about every family has a collection of photographs or films that were once regularly looked at to recall precious moments but which, over time, are replaced by newer images and more recent memories."

The Unseen Queen plot

The BBC revealed that the documentary will look at, "The Queen’s journey from earliest childhood, being pushed in a pram as a baby by her mother, to her Coronation at the age of just 27 in 1953, following the death of her father George VI in 1952."

The Queen will not be the only star of the show and members of the extended Royal Family such as her sister Princess Margaret, her eldest children Prince Charles and Princess Anne, and her uncle Prince George, The Duke of Kent, who died in a plane crash in 1942 during active service.

Simon Young, BBC Commissioning Editor for History described the plot of this new documentary as providing a 'rare' look at royal life. "This documentary is an extraordinary glimpse into a deeply personal side of the Royal Family that is rarely seen, and it's wonderful to be able to share it with the nation as we mark her Platinum Jubilee," said Simon.

Simon also added, "We are honored that The Queen has entrusted the BBC with such unprecedented access to her personal film collection."

How to watch Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen

This documentary will be released on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday, May 29, at 7.45 pm BST. This is just a few days before the Queen's Platinum Jubilee officially kicks off from June 2 until June 5, 2022.