It presents the House of Windsor as a noble establishment unfairly tarnished by association with rogue elements (i.e. the Romanoffs, Edward VIII, and Diana). The opening credits claims to show "human frailties" of the royal family. Instead, it represents a glossy picture of top family members (such as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles). Any publicly known character flaws/scandals are excused through blathering about accomplishment and royals "finding themselves". It spends mere seconds mentioning issues such as Charles' ongoing affair with Camilla or other divorces in the family. Feuds, fire, and betrayal mentioned in the opening credits are hardly explored.
When other family members make mistakes, the series fixates on these people as homewreckers and outcasts. It disproportionately represents negative aspects of Prince Philip, Princess Diana, and Edward VIII. "Outsiders" are shown as the ultimate troublemakers, instead of presenting a balanced picture of the royal family as fallible human beings.
The series swings confusingly between generalizations and detailed history. The beginning uses eyewitness accounts and takes the viewer step by step through early Windsor history. After Elizabeth's accession, it makes assumptions about viewer's knowledge. One moment Prince Charles meets Diana, the next minute they are separated with two children. The retelling starts swinging back and forth through history, losing the viewer. The last episode "The Top Job" especially suffers from this issue and rambles endlessly about Prince Charles' social standing. It talks about the future, then totally skips over princes William and Harry.
The visuals are the strongest point in this series. There are enough interesting graphics to keep the viewer occupied. However, some editing choices are questionable. The biggest downside is an overlay of curling smoke on the left-hand side of the screen. It is very distracting throughout the six episodes. The very first episode shows an inaccurate map of Europe, showing Belgium twice in place of the Netherlands.
For those with a general interest in history, this series will be acceptable. If well-versed in history or British subjects, find another series. Otherwise you will find yourself face-palming throughout it.
Review of The Royal House of Windsor
