The Royals
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The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Royals is a six-part documentary series about the British royal family. Each episode covers one royal-related topic through the generations: weddings, funerals, teens, babies, even royal pets. The documentary is based on expert interviews, historic video clips, and modern footage. There's some talk about extramarital affairs, images from Princess Diana's gruesome car crash, and some discussions of war. Generally, however, The Royals documentary is much more tame than the E! network soap opera-style drama also called The Royals.
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What's the story?
THE ROYALS is a six-part documentary series about the British royal family. The first episode is about royal weddings; it includes weddings throughout generations, including Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840 to William and Kate's modern-day wedding. The documentary includes expert interviews about wedding fashion, customs, cakes, the geopolitical implications of royal marriages, and more. Each episode covers one royalty-related topic through the generations: weddings, funerals, teens, babies, even royal pets.
Is it any good?
This series is a true documentary in the most traditional -- and dry -- sense of the genre. The Royals is based almost exclusively on expert interviews, historic video clips, and modern footage of the blue-blooded British royal family. The storytelling runs at a rather stilted pace, jumping from expert to expert and back again. Some commentators are given minutes to ramble on about a wedding dress while others have only specks of time to talk about more weighty matters, such as royal influences during wartime. In one profoundly long and painfully memorable scene, a celebrity hairdresser recreates Kate Middleton's wedding hairstyle on a model. Unfortunately, only the most devoted fans of the British monarchy will likely appreciate The Royals, and even they may question the quality of this series.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the gender stereotypes some of the royal traditions uphold. What does your kid think about the idea of royal succession through children, depending on gender? What are their thoughts on the "girl finding her prince" storyline in modern-day royal weddings?
If you live in the U.S. or another country that doesn't have a royal family, ask your kid: Would you like to have royals representing your country? Why, or why not?
Talk about the fictional, Disney-style versions of king and queens, princes and princesses. How do they differ from real-life versions? How are they the same?
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