A New Documentary Celebrates the Life of Queen Elizabeth II
A new BBC documentary titled Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century is set to air on Sunday at 9pm on BBC One. The film offers a unique insight into the life of the late Queen, who would have turned 100 this year. The documentary features contributions from a range of notable figures, including Sir David Attenborough, who has a long-standing relationship with the Queen.
Sir David Attenborough Shares Personal Memories
Sir David Attenborough, a well-known presenter and environmentalist, has shared his personal memories of the late Queen. He describes her as someone who embodied regality in every aspect of her life. In a clip from the documentary, he said: “The reality of being Queen was very evident to her at all times. It wasn’t something that she put on like a coat or something. It was in the marrow of her bones. She was regal.”
Born just weeks apart from the Queen in 1926, Sir David enjoyed a close friendship with the late monarch that spanned six decades. He was knighted by the Queen in 1985 and has been involved in various projects related to her, including appearing on The Queen’s Green Planet in 2018 and producing her televised Christmas Day address during the 1980s and 1990s.
He also appeared in a segment of the BBC’s Platinum Party at the Palace in 2022, which celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. In 2020, he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael And St George for services to television broadcasting and conservation in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
After the Queen’s death, Sir David captured the mood of the country when he said: “The whole nation is bereaved.”
Contributions from Close Friends and Family
The documentary also includes insights from Baroness Glenconner, a close childhood friend of both the late Queen and her sister, Princess Margaret. She was selected as one of the maids of honour during Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. Recalling the moment she stepped out onto the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the service, she said: “People were absolutely thrilled. I remember going on the balcony and the crowd packed together, roaring. You could actually feel it on one. And every time she turned to go they wouldn’t let her.”
Other contributors to the documentary include Dame Helen Mirren, Barack Obama, Dame Sheila Hancock, and Queen Camilla. The film blends archive footage, news interviews, and contemporary reflections to provide a comprehensive look at the Queen’s life and legacy.
Royal Mail Marks the Milestone
In addition to the documentary, Royal Mail is also set to mark the Queen’s 100th birthday with a dozen special edition stamps. A main set of eight stamps will feature photographs from key moments in the Queen’s life, from delivering her first radio broadcast in 1940 aged 14 to her 1953 coronation balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.
Her love of horses and dogs is also represented in four additional stamps, which show her at different stages of her life with pets or thoroughbreds. A presentation pack containing all 12 stamps costs £22.50.
Catherine Catton, head of factual entertainment and events, said: “Queen Elizabeth II: Her Story, Our Century explores the life of her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II through the lens of a century of change and offers an important reflection on how modern Britain has been shaped.”
