Episode 2
This second episode kicks off as King George III and Queen Charlotte enjoy the high-life in their royal home – and ends in the Victorian era, when a new teenage queen takes over the palace.
We begin in the 1780s, as Raksha Dave investigates how the royal residents kept themselves from stinking by taking a bath, Queen Charlotte-style: bizarrely fully clothed. Meanwhile, JJ Chalmers investigates how tough life was for the hidden army of 200 servants toiling "below stairs".
But in 1788, tragedy struck Buckingham House. King George's health took a devastating turn for the worse, and his behaviour spiralled out of control. Alexander discovers how the king's "madness" made life at the royal residence intolerable as it tore his family apart, ending with his devastating death in 1820.
George III's son, also called George, stepped up to the throne. The new King George IV was an arrogant, drunken womaniser and the party-loving monarch splurged millions enlarging "Buckingham House" so massively that the press began referring to it as Buckingham "Palace" for the very first time.
But the showy King wouldn't live to see his grand designs fully completed. Weighing in at 20 stone and having developed a taste for opium, his body finally gave up in 1830. His successor, the straight-talking William IV, hated Buckingham Palace – leaving it uninhabited and unwanted. But Britain was about to get a new queen – the teenage Victoria – who adored the palace from the moment she set eyes on it.
Raksha investigates the filth and squalor that greeted Queen Victoria when she inherited the place, while JJ discovers how the kitchens coped with hosting her lavish wedding breakfast, which included a surprisingly unappetising dish of braised calf glands.
This episode draws to a close in the 1850s, as Victoria cements the importance of Buckingham palace by declaring it the official headquarters of royal business. But soon, heartbreak would cast a shadow over the Palace, throwing its very existence into doubt once again…
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
American Experience
American Experience is TV's most-watched history series and brings to life incredible characters and compelling stories from our past that inform our understanding of the world today. Acclaimed by viewers and critics alike, American Experience documentaries have been honored with every major broadcast award, including 30 Emmy Awards, 4 duPont-Columbia Awards, and 18 George Foster Peabody Awards.
I Am a Killer
I Am a Killer gives a fascinating and in-depth insight into the stories of prisoners on death row in America, awaiting their fate. Showing that there are multiple sides to every story, each episode profiles prisoners convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. The series features never before seen footage with extraordinary access to prisons across America. Each convicted prisoner recounts the events that led up to their crime and, shockingly, the event itself. We discover their motivations, their expectations and ultimately how they now view the crime, after time spent on death row. Different viewpoints and the impact of decisions made in a split second that have changed the course of the killers' lives throw into question the viewer's opinions towards the killers.
Murdoch Mysteries
Set in Toronto at the dawn of the 20th century, Murdoch Mysteries is a one-hour drama series that explores the intriguing world of William Murdoch, a methodical and dashing detective who pioneers innovative forensic techniques to solve some of the city's most gruesome murders. Murdoch's colleagues include the love of his life, coroner and psychiatrist Dr. Julia Ogden, a staunch ally who shares the detective's fascination for science; Constable George Crabtree, Murdoch's eager but sometimes naïve right-hand man; Inspector Brackenreid, Murdoch's skeptical yet reluctantly supportive boss; and coroner Dr. Emily Grace, Dr. Ogden's protégé.