BBC Television has announced a new documentary titled Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen, which will take a deep dive into the personal side of the royal family, and also feature unseen footage of notable and important events in Queen Elizabeth’s life. The documentary is being made to honor the Queen as she approaches her 70-year anniversary on the throne, and will be premiering on May 29 on BBC.
According to reports, the documentary will be 75 minutes long and focus more on the years leading up to the Queen's coronation in 1953. It is said Queen Elizabeth also provided BBC Studios with over 400 reels of film dating back to the 1920s, featuring interesting home recordings of the Royal Family, lost newsreels, and behind the scene's footage of officially sponsored state events. Many lost tapes and unseen footage had previously been held in private at the British Film Institute, so it’s certainly interesting to see the Queen give untethered access to what seemed to be private videos of her Royal Family. Some of these moments include Prince Philip's first visit to Balmoral Castle in 1946 following their engagement, Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret with their father King George VI, and much more.
The documentary is produced by BBS Studios, while Simon Finch, who also worked on documentaries such as 2021's 9/11: Inside the President's War Room and 2020s "Henry VIII & Trump: History Repeating?" will serve as director alongside creative director Claire Popplewell. Julia Harrington and Harvey Lilley will both serve as executive producers for the film. The film is said to ditch the traditional narration style of most documentaries, and use newsreel audio along with public speeches from the Queen to guide the film.
Simon Young, BBC commissioning editor for history had this to say about the exciting documentary.
“We are honored that The Queen has entrusted the BBC with such unprecedented access to her personal film collection”, “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.”
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen will premiere on May 29 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, so be sure to check it out when it releases.