Before the 20th century, royal weddings in Britain were celebrated behind closed doors - until 1923, when the later King George VI married a Scottish beauty, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. Following months of archive research, all these historic wedding days, some seldom seen, have been brought together for the first time on film. From British Pathé TV's Royalty Collection.
In 1952, the sudden death of King George VI changed Elizabeth’s life for ever. The monarch was just 25 when she came to the throne. Winston Churchill was her first prime minister. Britain was still bandaging its war wounds and the Coronation sparked the biggest party since VE Day.
The arrival of the 1960s found Britain in an optimistic mood. Post-war austerity had given way to something of a consumer boom and the times were changing. The Royal Family was expanding fast. The Queen gave birth to Prince Andrew in 1960, ten years after Princess Anne. And Prince Edward was born...
The 1970s were a mix of gloom and glitter. The Queen and Prince Philip celebrated 25 years of marriage, and their daughter, Princess Anne, wed fellow equestrian Mark Phillips. But the Troubles in Ireland spread to mainland Britain, strikes forced a three-day working week, and a fuel crisis sparke...