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Arts & Culture

The House Of Windsor: The First Windsors, 1911 - 1936

King George V in coronation robes, 1911.
Courtesy of The Royal Collection
King George V in coronation robes, 1911.

Airs Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV

"The House Of Windsor" explores the turbulent reign of England's Windsor family, the most prestigious monarchy in the world. This in-depth series illuminates the storied history of the family which has held the English throne for nearly a century. They persevered through two World Wars, but in addition to their triumphs, they also endured the pain of both scandal and tragedy.

Episode One: "The First Windsors, 1911 – 1936"

King George V was a shy man who became monarch by accident. He lacked charisma, but with his generous heart and loyal wife, Queen Mary, he eventually won over his people. Prince Edward, his son and heir, was handsome, charming, and a natural communicator who loved modernity (he was everything his father wasn’t). Prince Albert (Bertie), George and Mary's second son, was even more shy and modest than his father. He reluctantly became king when Edward neglected his royal duty for the love of a divorced American woman, Wallis Simpson. The abdication would nearly bring the House of Windsor to its knees.

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"The House Of Windsor" explores the turbulent reign of England's Windsor family, the most prestigious monarchy in the world. This in-depth series illuminates the storied history of the family which has held the English throne for nearly a century.