Channel 4 commissions "The Real Windsors" from Spun Gold TV

Channel 4 has commissioned a three-part series from Spun Gold TV which examines the current standing of the British Royal Family as it steps up its succession for two generations to come. “As the Royal Family marks a momentous anniversary and readies itself for a succession, this series will examine the roles of its three key players:  The Boss...  Has she made herself irreplaceable," Daniela Neumann, Managing Director of Spun Gold TV asks. "The Heir… how will he balance his activism while wearing the Crown?  And The Prince…  Can he recalibrate the institution to last long into the 21st century? By talking to those who know them well, we’ll try to answer these questions and shine a new spotlight on the future of the Royal House of Windsor.”

"The Real Windsors" is a Spun Gold TV production for Channel 4, produced and directed by Peter Gauvain, Nick Blakemore and Kim Lomax, and executively produced by Teresa Watkins. It was commissioned for Channel 4 by Louisa Compton & Nevine Mabro. All3Media International has secured worldwide distribution rights.

The title stands beside Spun Gold’s other recent royal content, which incudes "The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration" for ITV, "The Prince’s Master Crafters: The Next Generation" for Sky Arts, "Ancient Secrets of Althorp: Charles Spencer" for Channel 4, and "Diana’s Decades" for ITV.

"The Real Windsors" begins by looking back at how The Queen’s steely vision and resolve to ensure the ongoing success and future stability of “The Firm” has built the Royal Family into one of the world’s most recognisable, and longest running ‘brands’. While she has stuck publicly to three principles: never show weakness, never reveal personal opinions and lead by example, behind the scenes she has taken difficult decisions which have sometimes involved putting the institution before her own family “This series will show the Queen, Prince Charles and Prince William as you’ve never seen them before," Louisa Compton said. "Each episode is packed full of revelation and insight and will be the perfect accompaniment to a momentous year for the Royal Family."

The second film is about Prince Charles and his long apprenticeship for the role of monarch, during which he has enjoyed the highs and lows of public support. The series includes interviews with those who’ve worked with the Royals at close hand, some of whom have never spoken before on camera, combined with rarely seen archive to provide a fresh insight into the Royal Family over the years. The third film in the series questions whether, on closer inspection, he has more in common with his grandmother’s principles and whether Prince William is actually much more traditional than his PR team make out with their branding of him and his wife.