This issue of Radio Times was already being printed when we heard the news that Queen Elizabeth II had died. We, like so many others, were saddened and shocked. Not only that the life of a much-loved monarch had come to an end, but also because it brought down the curtain on a royal era that, for many of us, was all we have ever known.

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Elizabeth II was not only the UK’s longest-serving monarch but also the first sovereign of the TV age: the first to be exposed to the full glare of television – and the first to embrace it.

Her coronation in 1953 was televised against some royal resistance. It’s thought that only Prince Philip was able to persuade her to change her mind.

Her stance on television may have softened, but what the Queen represented over eight decades of service was continuity as well as change – a fixed point in the nation’s life, a fixture in the Commonwealth, a thread to join generations. Most of us will never see a monarch quite like Queen Elizabeth II again.

Queen Elizabeth II on Radio Times magazine cover

Also in this week’s Radio Times:

  • Keeley Hawes talks about filming action scenes, becoming a producer, Richard Madden, working with her husband Matthew Macfadyen, and improving gender equality and roles for older actresses: “There have been moments where I’ve said, ‘Well, we’ve got three men here and one female character. Why can’t we make one of those a woman?’ And we have. You can have a really big impact and I’m proud of that.”
  • James Nesbitt on method acting, telling authentic stories about the Troubles, working with Jed Mercurio and the potential return of Cold Feet: “I think we would all love to return to [Cold Feet]. As Adam developed, there was probably a fair amount of me in him, which wasn’t easy because you find out more about yourself – it’s somehow easier to reveal the flaws and vulnerabilities. “
  • Hillary and Chelsea Clinton discuss gutsy women, Kim Kardashian’s surprising side, attending clown school and the reversal of Roe v Wade.

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