The Monarchy

Britain is abound with social problems, the rise of Europe has happened, and a fractured monarchy has to look at it's prospects for the future

This episode takes an engaging look at the countries united under one crown, especially Scotland and Ireland where the link is more complex, and how Britain's entry into Europe will affect these countries positions on devolution.

This programme charts the ways in which the Monarchy has tried to act as the cement to bind together the diverse nations of the United Kingdom, sometimes successfully and sometimes unsuccessfully. The show recounts how a handbag caused trouble at the Queen's Scottish 'coronation', how the Royal Family divides the communities in Northern Ireland and examines the impact of devolution.

How much does the monarchy cost the British taxpayer? This episode delves deeply into expenditure within and national expenditure on the Royal Family.

Britain is increasingly a classless society and as such the monarchy has had to find new identities for itself as it still finds it has to bridge the gap between crown and country.

Over the highs and lows of the twentieth century the British monarchy has faced a quick succession of crises but there is obviously a distinct appeal of the monarchy and this first episode investigates the allure of the monarchy to the publicl and what it has done in order to survive.