Prince Caspain

A special documentary to mark the seventieth birthday of HRH the Prince of Wales. For this observational documentary, film-maker John Bridcut has had exclusive access to the prince over the past 12 months, both at work and behind the scenes, at home and abroad. He speaks to those who know him best, including HRH the Duchess of Cornwall and the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex. His sons discuss their upbringing and their feelings about the prince's working life. As the prince reaches his seventith birthday, he has been involved in public affairs for 50 years, championing environmental and social issues long before they reached the mainstream, from plastic waste and global warming to lack of opportunity for young people.

Prince Charles: Inside the Duchy of Cornwall is a series with privileged access to Prince Charles and his private domain, the Duchy of Cornwall, the ancient Royal estate which he has built up over the last 50 years into a billion pound business to support himself, his immediate family and his charities.

In 13th-century Tangiers, regent Mustapha hires a paid assassin to kill baby Prince Hussein in order to usurp his throne but the assassin has second thoughts and steals the baby for himself.

Prince oozed charisma and was rightly hailed as a musical genius. Often, it is the depth and pain in Prince’s music that makes it truly great. His best-loved songs reveal the turmoil and sadness behind his dazzling public persona, the real Prince behind the image. Offstage Prince could not escape his loneliness, fear and self-blame. After the years of dancing and touring took their toll, Prince was left with only himself, looking into the mirror, and no one there to help him. Prince’s whole life was one long cry for help, and nobody was really listening.

Prince Charles became Prince of Wales aged just nine years old, but it was not until 11 years later, in the summer of 1969, that he was formally invested with the title by the Queen in a spectacular ceremony at Caernarfon Castle. The event was watched by half a billion people around the world putting Wales firmly on the global stage. But it was not without controversy as, for some, the celebration also became a moment for nationalist protest. Five decades on, the Prince is now the longest-serving Prince of Wales in history and his affection for the nation and its people is as strong as ever.

When Grandduke Charles, the prince-regent of Carpathia, a fictitious Balkan country which could start a European war by switching alliances, visits London for the coronation of the new British King in 1911, and spends his one evening off at the Coconut Girl Club, the reputed stickler for protocol is so charmed by a clumsy American understudy that he orders his British attaché to invite her to the embassy for a private supper. Being overlooked and understanding German, she learns of the repressive attitude of the regent and the plans of his reformist, pro-German minor son, King Nicholas, to take over power by surprise, but doesn't dodge and tries to reconcile father and son. The queen-dowager decides to make her lady-in-waiting for the coronation day, so she stays in the picture to everyone else's surprise.

When Prince Philip died, the world paid tribute to his devotion to duty and to the Queen. This film puts Prince Philip’s own words front and centre, drawing on rare archive and audio recordings spanning 80 years, to let us hear Prince Philip talk - with his characteristic humour and forthright tone - about the role of the monarchy, press intrusion, Prince Charles’ future… topics that are hugely relevant today and which show the different sides of Philip: Prince, husband and father.