28/08/2026
From Radio Times; The BBC has commissioned a six-part factual series charting the birth of the modern British monarchy, promising “cinematic drama” and exploration of a real-life story. ‘Kings and Queens: The Story of the Monarchy’ will air on BBC Two and iPlayer.
At the moment I have no idea of exact date of broadcast or any idea
on broadcast outside UK I’m afraid.
The series tells the origin story of the modern British monarchy, tracing how the Norman conquest shaped Britain forever. Spanning five generations between 1066 and 1216, it runs from William the Conqueror’s bloody invasion through the Anarchy of Matilda and Stephen to King John and Magna Carta, described by the BBC as “an epic tale of a family at war, and a kingdom torn apart by a life-or-death struggle for power”.
Using cinematic drama, cutting-edge graphics and insight from world-leading historians, the series sets out to reveal how England was transformed from a conquered land into a powerful state, while exposing what the broadcaster calls “a fatal flaw at the heart of absolute monarchy”: the drive to concentrate all authority in a single individual, which pushes the system to breaking point.
The commission arrives as the Bayeux Tapestry returns to Britain for the first time in nearly 1,000 years, going on display at the British Museum from September 2026 until July 2027 as part of a reciprocal loan agreement with France. Simon Young, the BBC’s Head of History Commissioning, tied the timing directly to that landmark exhibition.
Hopefully if successful, the series may continue through the Wars of the Roses, Tudors and of course the less focused on Stuart and Georgian dynasty’s that also had their share of family dramas, rebellions and a huge impact on modern Britain 🙏
