Secrets of the Royal Palaces - Episode Guide

Kate begins with Buckingham Palace, which the brainchild of George IV, who hired architect John Nash to turn modest Buckingham House into a palace on a grand European scale.

An unveiling of some of the many secrets, dilemmas and disasters held by Windsor Castle, including revisiting the statues of Princess Diana.

Part medieval fortress, part French chateau, Balmoral is not to everyone's taste but it provides a retreat from prying eyes for the Royals.

Sandringham in Norfolk was purchased in 1861 for the rakish Prince Edward, to curb his ways, but it proved to be the perfect palace for a party.

More behind-the-scenes tales of the British monarchy's residences, with Kate Williams exploring some of the more gruesome stories of palace history, including the death of Princess Charlotte in 1817. Plus, Diana, Princess of Wales's former driver Colin Tebbutt reveals what happened at her private funeral at her ancestral home of Althorp, Northamptonshire.

The story of how William III's plans to knock down Hampton Court were scuppered when he became caught up in an expensive nine-year war with Louis XIV of France. Kate Williams explores more gruesome stories of palace history, including how St James's Palace doctors killed their queen, why a young African prince is buried in Windsor, and how Queen Anne had two confidantes, possibly lovers, fighting over her.

A look around former French royal residence the Palace of Versailles, while Kate Williams tells more gruesome tales from royal history, including how Henry VIII changed the law so he could execute an insane person. Colin Tebbutt reveals what happened in the hospital on the night of Diana, Princess of Wales's car accident, and how he had to protect her body from the press.

A network of tunnels built by George IV underneath Brighton's Royal Pavilion as he had grown so fat that he was embarrassed by his appearance and wanted to visit his beloved horses unobserved by cruel critics. Plus, the story behind the Diana, Princess of Wales statue in Kensington Palace and how this piece of art ended up demonstrating the fractured relationship of her two sons.

Kate Williams explores the deaths of the Princes in the Tower, when the boys who were first and second in line to throne disappeared, allowing their uncle Richard III to seize power and become king. Photographer John Swannell talks about an ad hoc 1994 photoshoot with Diana, Princess of Wales, and her sons.

A look at the christening of Princess Charlotte in 2015, revealing how Prince William paid touching tribute to his mother in his choice of venue and name, and that the `antique" christening dress used was secretly a tea-stained replica. Kate Williams examines gruesome stories of the palaces, including Queen Mary's phantom pregnancy and a misinformed sugar craze in Tudor England that resulted in some serious dental decay in the court of Elizabeth I.

The lost palace of Whitehall, destroyed by fire in 1698; a couple who invited the queen to their wedding in 2012; motivations behind one of the biggest Tudor parties in history.

The development of Buckingham Palace over the past 100 years; hidden messages in the dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge at the premiere of "No Time to Die"; the dark secrets of Queen Isabella.

More behind-the-scenes tales of the British monarchy's residences, looking at Queen Elizabeth II added the Royal Gallery to Buckingham Palace after swathes of it were damaged by bombs during the Second World War. Kate Williams explores the make-up used in the Elizabethan court, including arsenic, beetles and the urine of a small boys, and also reveals how George III was imprisoned and tortured in Kew Gardens to hide his mental decline and how Holyrood Palace became the nerve centre of the Jacobite Rebellion.

Behind-the-scenes tales from the Palaces of Westminster, with the State Opening of Parliament the event where royalty and democracy come together. The Prince's Chamber was specially built for Queen Elizabeth II to rest before entering the Lords and taking her seat on the palace's royal throne, while a secret tunnel hidden behind the ancient walls is explored. Other stories featured include a hologram portrait of Elizabeth II and how Charles II dabbled in cannibalism.

Windsor Castle is the largest permanently lived in castle in the world, and it's still packed with secrets. There is the Welsh Cottage, a 2 fifths life size Dolls house that the young Elizabeth 2nd played in as a child. It had been gifted to her by the people of Wales but she almost never got to play in it, as caught fire on the way to Windsor. We examine the stunning Waterloo Chamber, built from contained courtyard and turned into one of the most stunning rooms in the Palace, dedicated to Britain's greatest military victory. And why did the Royal family pick Windsor as their new name. When Princess Margret died in 2002, her family were left with a 3million pound tax bill. Their solution to cover this was to sell her personal Royal Kensington possessions. What followed was a one-off Royal Auction. Everything that wasn't nailed down went under the hammer. But the Queen was not amused and intervened to stop them profiting from the state. In 1981, during the Trooping the Colour, shots ring out as the queen passes by. We cover inside story of this potential assassination with eye-witness interviews including the guard that confronted the shooter. And we discover that jewellery and portraits are not the only treasures kept in the palaces. We explore the Queens favourite car, her palace on Wheels And Kate Williams explores some of the more gruesome stories of Palace history including the worst executioner in Palace history and the Iron Maiden, the British Predecessor to the Guillotine. Secrets old and new, from the darkest history of the royal residences to modern day dilemmas and disasters – it's all here in Secrets of the Royal Palaces.

Greenwich - the great lost palace. I was built in the 16th century but fell into disrepair and was slowly demolished - but a few tantalising ruins remain. There is Henry VIII's wine cellar, built to an exacting standard and designed to last. Jonathan Foyle gains exclusive access to this remarkable room. We also explore the Queen's house, the only part of the palace that remains in pristine condition, it was the first example of Classic Design anywhere in the country. In 2010, when Prince Charles and Camilla were driving to the Royal Variety Show, when their limo found itself in the middle of a riot. We talk to Cliff Hide, the Photographer that captured the moment and learn about how close the Royal couple came to being overrun by the mob. When Harry first started dating Meghan in 2016, he wanted to keep his relationship as secret as possible but press were desperate to capture the happy couple together. We have an exclusive interview with Emily Andrews, the journalist that captured that first picture that confirmed they were in a relationship. We take a detailed look at one of the most famous coaches kept in the Royal Mews: the gold state Coach. Built in 1760, this mammoth coach has witnessed centuries of history, including Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation. But it hides a secret - the royal family hate it. Kate Williams explores some of the more gruesome stories of Palace history including the secret sex life of Lady Katherine Grey.

The history of Hampton Court's Great Hall, a huge dining area built by more than 400 stonemasons, bricklayers, carpenters, joiners and labourers that was also used by Henry VIII to keep an eye on his household. Plus, a look at the 2002 Golden Jubilee Party, which was held in the grounds of Buckingham Palace and is considered to have changed the public's perception of monarchy. 

Behind-the-scenes tales of St James's Palace, which was built between 1531 and 1536 on the orders of Henry VIII and is the business centre of the royal family. There is a look at the history of Fabergé eggs, of which the Royal Collection contains three, and Kate Williams explores more gruesome stories of palace history, including the horrific story of what happened to Catherine Parr's body, and how giving birth in a palace became a spectator sport.

Behind-the-scenes tales of Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, which was bought by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1840 and was turned into their perfect renaissance hideaway. Kate Williams goes on a culinary adventure and tries traditional Tudor cuisine, including snails and pigs' feet, while the horrors of the palaces' bedding ceremony is revealed, where a royal bride is observed on her wedding night to make sure the marriage is consummated.

Behind-the-scenes tales of Kensington Palace, which started out as Nottingham House until it was bought in 1698 by William III and transformed into a royal residence after a major renovation. Kate Williams explores some of the more gruesome pieces of palace history, including the grim death of Henry Stuart, the murder of Amy Robsart to clear a path for the queen, and the amazing story of Eleanor Cobham, the `Royal Witch".

The return of the programme that features behind-the-scenes tales of royal residences, beginning with stories of love and marriage from within palaces' walls. There is a look at the scandal caused by Princess Diana's intimate phone conversations with James Gilbey after recordings of them were sold to the Sun newspaper, while the programme also shines a light on the joyous time Elizabeth II spent with Prince Phillip at their palace of Villa Guardamangia on Malta, shortly after their marriage. Plus, Kate Williams reveals the extraordinary story of Prince Albert's erotic gift to his wife Queen Victoria.

Stories of palace private life - and the moments the royals wish were private - beginning with the royal family's race to be by Elizabeth II's side in her final moments at Balmoral. The programme forensically examines that day and uncovers how the deep family rift between Prince Harry and the rest potentially caused a tragic delay. Kate Williams shines a light on some of the most remarkable private tales from palace history, including the messy end of William the Conqueror's life when he was buried by a band of hapless monks.

This time, we uncover secret stories of palace scandal, as Diana confesses all to one of her closest member of staff, King Charles tries to move out his scandal-hit brother and we reveal the shocking link between Queen Victoria's favourite lapdog and a palace massacre.

We start with Princess Diana on holiday at Marivent, the Spanish royal family's summer palace on Mallorca. Diana spent four summers here with Charles, Wills and Harry as her marriage began to disintegrate. We hear first-hand from Royal Protection officer Ken Wharfe about an extraordinary pool-side confession that Diana made to him revealing that her marriage was "a sham" and that both parties were in the midst of secret affairs. It was a confession that marked a turning point as the scandalous secrets of their marriage began to seep-out…

Royal affairs are nothing new of course. Prof Kate Williams tells the remarkable story of George III's six unmarried daughters whose illicit affairs with servants and numerous illegitimate children at Frogmore House were kept hushed up by any means necessary. When one writer drafted an explosive tell-all memoir, and then attempted to blackmail the Princesses, he found his manuscript mysteriously stolen.

Of course, scandals aren't restricted to affairs of the heart. We investigate the murky story of how King Charles, when Prince of Wales, ended up with four priceless masterpieces from Picasso, Monet and Salvador Dali proudly displayed on his walls, before discovering his new pictures were all fakes. How did it happen?
At Windsor Castle, the most formidable of all royal residences, we discover that appearances can be deceptive, as we expose two scandalous security failures, the most serious leaving an armed assailant loose on palace grounds on a mission to kill the monarch.

We tell the surprising story of Queen Victoria's beloved little Pekingese Looty, one of the first Chinese lap dogs ever seen in this country and memorialised in a very cute oil painting. But the dog's appearance belied a shocking story. Looty, as the name implies, had been looted by the British after they had razed China's summer palace to the ground, destroying priceless works of art and massacring the staff in what would now be called a war crime.

Finally we tell the story of one of the most secret, desirable and scandal-hit of all the royal residences: The Royal Lodge. Once a symbol of the excess of George IV, and bulldozed and rebuilit by his son, in recent years it has been a home to Prince Andrew. We explore how his older brother King Charles has attempted to get the place renovated while moving out his scandal-hit brother, and why he has (so far) failed.

We uncover secret stories of palace duty: including Queen Elizabeth II's final balcony appearance; how not to look after the Crown Jewels; and Kate's first palace assignment abroad.

Uncovering the secrets of palace entertaining, from Wayne Sleep teaching Princess Diana how to dance, to the Buckingham Palace party that almost went up in flames.

Behind-the-scenes tales of palace retreats, exploring former royal yacht Britannia'a hidden history and unravelling why its loss caused such public sorrow on its decommissioning at Portsmouth dockyard. Plus, the secrets of George IV's seaside palace Brighton Pavilion, while Kate Williams tells the astonishing story of how George V's doctor hurried the dying monarch to his death at Sandringham in order that its could be reported in the morning's edition of the Times.

This time, we uncover the secrets of Queen Victoria's Palaces, as we explore the romantic hideaway designed for her by Prince Albert, open-up the scandalous diaries that reveal Victoria's racier side, and discover just how many times she was shot at by would-be assassins.

We begin with Victoria's birth at Kensington Palace. Architectural historian Jonathan Foyle takes us into the very room where a new era began and reveals how the birth was preceded by an unedifying baby-race across Europe as the twelve adult children of George III (all without legitimate heirs) got busy attempting to produce one - with Victoria ultimately taking the prize.

Next we delve into Victoria's childhood to bust a pervasive palace myth. Victoria suggested that her upbringing at Kensington was miserable and lonely, but more recently discovered evidence suggests that her upbringing was largely a happy one.

Professor Kate Williams tells the story of the first of six shootings survived by the Queen as she took a trip through Hyde Park shortly after her marriage. Undeterred by the assassination attempt, she continued to make public outings throughout her reign, and with each fresh shooting she found her popularity soar.

We journey to the Isle of Wight, where Prince Albert created for his wife a new palace by the sea: Osborne House. We learn how its secret, cutting-edge design was decades ahead of its time, with everything from a plumbed-in bath to a lift. And we see the influence of one of the Queen's most controversial servants, Abdul Karim.

Queen Victoria's personal diaries, housed in Windsor's Round Tower, show a saucier side to the monarch than we usually see, but they were once even more revealing. That was until daughter Beatrice destroyed an estimated two-thirds of them after Victoria's death, to "save" her mother's reputation.

We reveal the secrets of two startling Victorian monuments: the vast Albert memorial created for the equivalent of £10million opposite the Albert Hall, and the statue of Victoria at the end of the Mall, the focal point of a complete transformation of London's ceremonial heart, giving us the central London of today.

Finally, Kate recounts the antics of Victoria's son Bertie, nicknamed Edward the caresser, whose philandering ways continued as he ascended to the throne as Edward VII, lowering the tone at Queen Victoria's former HQ, Buckingham Palace.

Behind-the-scenes tales of Tudor residences, with architectural historian Jonathan Foyle tracing the story of Hampton Court Palace's creation and revealing it was a radical departure for architecture in this country. Plus, Kate Williams takes us to a Tudor palace banquet as she enjoys a startling treat known as coqz heaumez, which consisted of a helmet-wearing chicken riding a pig and was meant to suggest a proud knight on his trusty steed.