A Royal Family: The Father In Law Of Europe - Ep 1 Of 6 :: History :: Educational TV

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EnhanceTV :: Educational TV :: History :: A Royal Family: The Father In Law Of Europe - Ep 1 Of 6

A Royal Family: The Father In Law Of Europe - Ep 1 Of 6

30 kings and queens, princes and princesses tell their family history - stories of power, love, triumph, tragedy and honour in a Europe ruled by dynasty politics and where arranged marriages created alliances between countries. Through frank interviews personal photographs, diaries, letters, anecdotes and newly released home movie footage viewers are given unique insight into the Royal's family tree.

At the end of the 1800's the Danish King, Christian IX, managed to marry his six children into the dominating European royal families and Christian IX therefore became known as Europe's father-in-law. One if his daughters became Queen of England, another became the Empress of Russia, whilst two of his sons became Kings of Denmark and Greece, respectively. Today his descendants are to be found all over Europe. Over 30 member of today's royal family take part in this series elected to get together to tell the story of their family as they know it from letters, diaries and anecdotes handed down from one generation to the next.

Research and footage for this unique series has taken place all over Europe through four years and the royal descendants have contributed with private photographs and film, many of which have never been publicised. All interviews have been recorded in English.

30 royal family members take part in this series including interviews with Crown Prince Frederick of Denmark and his mother Margrethe II Queen of Denmark.

In the Europe of the 1800s Britain, Russia and Denmark each had a monarch without issue and each lacked an heir to the throne. Quickly arranged marriages, births and devious strategies check-mated the energetic would-be successors. The three next sovereigns, Queen Victoria, Czar Alexander II, and King Christian IX were all offshoots of their own royal families but their paths to the throne were successful and it is their descendants who rule Europe today.

England

In 1818 the royal race was on. The only child of King George IV, a daughter, died in childbirth, and so George ordered his three brothers to drop their mistresses and illegitimate children. They were to find suitable princesses forthwith! The task was to supply a healthy child, an heir to the throne. In 1819 the new Duchess of Kent gave birth to a daughter, the future Queen Victoria. Her father died the following year and it was her German-born mother who had to fight to ensure that Victoria was not knocked off the gilded perch by throne-lusting uncles. At the age of eighteen Victoria was crowned queen and three years later she married the German Prince Albert of Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, by whom she went on to have nine children.

Russia

In Russia a little boy - the future Czar Alexander II - marched up and down the shiny floors in heavy boots, his father - Czar Nicholas I - counting time. In 1825, when Alexander was seven, his father succeeded to the throne after his childless elder brother. So Alexander grew up in the vast, cold apartments of the Winter Palace, and his military childhood was to mark him for the rest of his life. Well-educated and adult, Alexander toured Europe, where much to his parents' displeasure he fell in love with the German Princess Marie of Hessen-Darmstadt. He insisted on marrying her, and once she had given him seven surviving children and her health had failed, it was his Russian mistress who ensured that the flock of children increased by a further four.

Denmark

Christian (IX) was born in 1818 at Gottorp Castle in North Germany, but grew up at the neighbouring Gluecksburg Castle, which King Frederik VI of Denmark had given to his parents. When he was 13 his father died and he was "adopted" by the King of Denmark and his wife - his uncle and aunt - who had no sons of their own.

The contest for the throne of Denmark was under way. The king's cousin, Christian (VIII) was meant to inherit the throne, but his eldest son Frederik (VII) was unable to sire any children. The great powers favoured the poor Prince Christian of Gluecksburg, who had learned his soldiering in the Danish army and had married Christian VIII's beautiful Danish-German niece, Princess Louise of Hessen. She gave him six highly promising children.

Details


Duration (mins)	60
Date of broadcast	8/4/2011
Channel	SBS TWO
Rating	PG
Price:	AUD29.95 including GST

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