The Queen Unseen

“We will reveal the real Elizabeth,” the voiceover promises, implausibly. Still, archive research has uncovered little-seen clips, meaning we do get a more informal glimpse of the Queen than usual, if not quite the woman “hidden behind the mask of monarchy”. 

One revealing snippet shows her on tour in New Zealand in the 1950s, relaxing by a pool while her husband and Johnnie Althorp, her equerry, lark about in their trunks. The fact the latter would become Earl Spencer and Princess Diana’s father adds a layer of foreshadowing to the scene. Elsewhere commentators opine confidently on how the Queen is shy, mischievous and down-to-earth.