Private Lives of Monarchs

Queen Victoria is legendary for her straight-laced sense of propriety, but behind palace doors, passions reigned. Uncover the details of her trysts with servants, her children’s wild sexual escapades, and the racy contents of her medicine cabinet.

France’s Sun King, Louis XIV, is renowned for the lavish excesses of his 72-year reign, and for building enduringly beautiful palaces and gardens. Look behind the scenes at his sumptuous 20-course meals, political intrigues, and scandalous affairs.

Exiled in 1651, King Charles II was known as the Merry Monarch after his restoration to the throne in 1660. Look inside his exciting reign, marked by exploration, including the first recorded appearance of ice cream at one of his magnificent feasts.

The madness of Britain’s King George III is legendary, but what part did his son George IV play in the disastrous end of the Georgian era? Discover the true story of the Prince Regent’s outrageous behaviour, which marked the monarchy with scandal.

Famous for his ruthlessness and reign of terror over his many wives, Henry VIII wasn’t always a tyrant. Delve into his youthful history, ruled by chivalry and surprising tenderness, and learn of the tragedy that changed his personality forever.

Meet a princess who was adored by the tabloids and broke the royal mold. Uncover the real reasons her marriage broke down and a secret that only came to light after her death to see what a truly misunderstood figure she really was.