Royal Inquest
By Anne Louise Bannon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Docu about crimes against British royals is a bit grisly.
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What's the Story?
There's no question that a family as publicly visible as Britian's ruling clan will become a target for some pretty unsavory behavior -- whether it's servants pocketing private possessions or the mentally ill fulfilling their delusions of grandeur by planning attacks (in fact, it's almost surprising that there haven't been more incidents!). ROYAL INQUEST profiles some of these cases using a combination of archival footage/photography, re-enactments, and interviews with members of the press and occasionally even a principal in the event.
Is It Any Good?
Overall, the stories are interesting, even if the narration and music are occasionally a bit overwrought. But given that the British royals are the most commonly photographed and filmed people on Earth, you have to wonder why so many of the same images are used over and over. It seems awfully hard to believe that there are only four flim clips of Princess Anne from the 1970s -- and you know there were far more pictures of Princess Diana than the 12-odd shown in the episode about her butler.
Bottom line? Those who are into true crime and/or the royals may get a kick out of this somewhat voyeuristic series, but it's not likely to end up on many other folks' must-see list.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the show's stories are told. Why are some of them so repetitive? Is it to help viewers remember details or for other reasons? Also, who do you think the show is trying to appeal to? Why are some people so fascinated with the royal family?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 28, 2009
- Cast: David Shih
- Network: TLC
- Genre: Reality TV
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: April 5, 2023
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