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The death of Queen Elizabeth II brought forth a flood of condolences from people around the world. The Queen passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Thursday, September 8, 2022, at her residence in Balmoral Castle, Scotland. At the time of her death, she was 96 years old and had been the longest reigning queen in history with 70 years of holding the title.
Over the seven decades of her reign, numerous films and documentaries have been made on Her Majesty. Here’s our curated list of five of the best titles on her that you can watch right now.
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen, A Queen is Crowned, and more: 5 films to remember Queen Elizabeth II by
1) A Queen Is Crowned
One of the earliest documentaries on Queen Elizabeth II, A Queen Is Crowned was directed by Christopher Fry, and documents the coronation of Elizabeth II, which took place on June 2, 1953. With the coronation rituals known prior to the actual event, the narration of the events was pre-recorded by Lawrence Olivier in May 1953.
The 1 hour 22 minute-long documentary is a holistic depiction of the lavish proceedings that led to the coronation of the Queen. The ceremony, which took place in Westminster Abbey, was followed by an elaborate procession.
This Technicolor documentary is available to stream on multiple public forums such as YouTube and Vimeo.
2) Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute
Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute is a documentary film which celebrated the Queen turning 90 years of age on April 21, 2016. The film was directed by John Bridcut and produced by the BBC. The narration for the film is by none other than Charles III, the new King of England, who was then the Prince of Wales.
The docufilm features never before seen archival footage as well as personal cine-films shot by members of the royal family such as King George VI, Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Prince Philip, Princess Margaret and Queen Elizabeth II herself. The film also features commentaries by these members on the Queen herself and celebrates her landmark 90th birthday.
Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute has been celebrated as one of the most intimate views on the life of one of the most public figures in the world, and offers a glimpse into her otherwise heavily guarded private life. The hour-and-a-half-long documentary was released on April 21, 2016, on her Majesty's 90th birthday and is currently available to stream on YouTube.
3) Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s)
Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s) is a 2022 documentary film by the late director Roger Mitchell, who died in September 2022. The Amazon Original was created in celebration of the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and was initially released earlier this year. The film is available for streaming in the U.S. on Showtime.
Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s) follows the trajectory of the 70 long years of the Queen's reign and takes a look at the changes that came over the course of her rule. It combines royal footage with relevant news reels to set up an understanding of the longest reigning English monarch in history.
4) Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen
Directed by Simon Finch, Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen is the second documentary film made from the private archives of the royal family. Released on May 29, 2022, the film commemorates seven decades of the Queen's reign.
The Unseen Queen was made from over 400 previously unseen reels of private footage and explores Elizabeth II in a new light. The film depicts the time before her coronation, and primarily explores her youth as the princess of the royal family.
Besides featuring the Queen's first ever appearance on reel (in a pram), the film also includes many happy memories from her childhood. Additionally, it captures other significant details from her life, such as a trip that the royal family took to South Africa, her engagement to Philip Mountbatten at Balmoral and much more.
5) The Crown
The Crown is a historical drama series created by Peter Morgan, who developed it based on his 2006 film, The Queen. Following its debut in 2016, the series has so far released four seasons on Netflix, with the fifth season speculated to arrive sometime in November 2022.
The Crown chronicles the personal and political life of Queen Elizabeth II since her marriage to Philip Mountbatten in 1947.
The series has garnered praise from critics for its script and execution and has received 21 Primetime Emmys and two Golden Globes for Best Television Series over the course of its four-season run.
To accurately capture the progression of age in Queen Elizabeth II, the series has also continually changed the actors essaying the role - the first two seasons starred Claire Foy as the Queen, after which she was portrayed by Olivia Colman. Actress Imelda Staunton is expected to pick up the role from Season 5 onwards.
The Crown is available for streaming on Netflix.
Queen Elizabeth II passed away in Balmoral, Scotland, on Thursday, September 8, 2022. Following her demise, her eldest son, Prince Charles, ascended the throne as King Charles III. While he has already begun shouldering the responsibilities of a monarch, he will have to wait until his coronation to wear the crown.
