The Royals product reviews

I have always been fascinated by the British Royal family so a DVD on them is very exciting for me. The Royals is a double disc set comprising of six episodes (4.5 hours in total). Each episode was on a different topic ranging from babies and funerals to scandals and weddings. As an animal lover (I type this with my cat on my lap) my favourite was the pets.

This DVD set is very current. It includes footage and commentary from this year's arrival of William and Kate's baby Prince George. It does not (as it claims on the DVD cover) include coverage of the birth of Baby George. I don't think footage of his actual birth or of any royal birth will ever be release to the public. The royal family are evolving with the times but I think there are some things that will always remain private.

The main theme throughout this series is how the lives of the royals have changed over the years. It uses footage that has been used in documentaries and the evening news repeatedly over the years so it is not something you watch if you want to learn some new. It focuses mostly on the monarchs (past and present) as well as the heirs to the throne. The lesser royals are only mentioned in passing with the exception of Princess Anne and Zara Phillips equestrian achievements and the young royals episode. One of the biggest changes of course has been the media. This meant that they had more video footage of resent years than they did of King George VI or Queen Victoria.

There were commentators giving their recount or opinion of events and most of these were from the media or biographers. There were a few I thought were more qualified that were interviewed this included a head of security talking about the measures that had to be taken to insure everyone's (commoners and royals) safety at Princess Diana's funeral.

I felt this DVD set portrayed the royal family in a positive but realistic light. There was much more focus on Diana than there was to any other royal spouse. There was small bits on The Queen Mother but very little was said of Prince Phillip especially considering his place in the royal family. I think perhaps the makers of this series know that even now years after her death she still brings views in. Prince George was referred to as her grandson on a few occasions implying that he was a reincarnation of her.

This DVD set would make a lovely gift for a royal follower and can be watched either one episode at a time (about 45 minutes) or as I did with a disc (3 episodes) in an evening. I am sure my mother and mother in-law would love to borrow my copy but I am unsure if I will get it back as they will be sure to have friends that will want to watch it too.