In the year of her 80th birthday, Queen Elizabeth II granted the filmmakers of MONARCHY: THE ROYAL FAMILY AT WORK an exclusive look inside the modern British monarchy. In this intimate series, viewers join Queen Elizabeth II and the rest of Britain's most famous family as they travel abroad, work at the palace and meet people from all walks of life.
The programs follow the queen as she visits the first permanent British settlement in the U.S. and spends time with President Bush at the White House. The cameras roll as she visits the newly democratic Republic of Estonia - where no British monarch has set foot before.
Slideshow: Working at Headquarters
Buckingham palace is the nerve center of the British Monarchy. It serves as the Head of State’s official offices, a museum, a residence and a focal point for national celebrations and important State occasions. Such a large operation takes a diverse and dedicated staff. View photos of some of the people and departments who help keep the monarchy running throughout the year.
Quiz: Royal Trivia
Test your knowledge of the British Monarchy.
Quiz: Constitutional Monarchy
Test your knowledge of Great Britain's political system.
Back in England, the series goes inside Buckingham Palace for exclusive interviews with members of the royal family, preparations for elaborate formal occasions and a behind-the-scenes look at the royal kitchens, royal wine cellar and royal car fleet, and the jobs of footmen, ladies in waiting, the yeomen guard and the crown jeweler.
MONARCHY: THE ROYAL FAMILY AT WORK offers a glimpse behind the velvet curtain to reveal what life is really like as a member of the family firm.
"The Queen And Us" airs Monday, July 2 at 10 p.m. - "The Lord Chamberlain is commanded by Her Majesty to invite you to a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace," reads the hand-lettered invitation sent to 40,000 guests each year by the palace Garden Party Ladies.
"The Queen and Us" tells the story of four party guests as they savor each moment of this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. At the party, only a select few guests will be presented to the queen. Attendants calm the jittery nerves of the lucky ones with a crash course in royal protocol.
Less formal occasions in every area of the country pack the queen's schedule. She removes her shoes for a ceremony at a Hindu temple and dines on Kashmiri specialties prepared especially to her milder taste.
But the queen isn't the only member of the royal family who regularly crosses the country. In rural Northumberland, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall take tea and get a tour from a local organic farmer.
In the barn, the couple meets two very special cows born around the time of their royal wedding. The animals were required by the Angus Society to have names beginning with the letter "C" and are called - yes, Charles and Camilla.
Up Next:
"Inside The Firm" airs Monday, July 9, 2012 at 10 p.m.
The first two episodes titled, "The State Visit," aired on Tuesday, June 19th.
"Head Of State" aired Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at 9 p.m.
Watch Monarchy, "The Queen and Us" - Preview on PBS. See more from pbs.
Watch Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work - Preview on PBS. See more from pbs.
