The Queen: Her Commonwealth Story
BBC ONE, 9.00PM
The Queen has been a staunch supporter of the Commonwealth, her reign punctuated by frequent tours of the UK’S former colonies. Tonight’s documentary sees George Alagiah contend that the Queen’s relationship to Commonwealth nations has defined her reign, taking her from timid young mother to confident dignitary. Of course, that’s true of the Queen’s progress in general, but it gives Alagiah an excuse to take us through the history of her tours, highlighted by excellent footage (including some not seen for half a century), and talk to those who met or accompanied her. Among them is the Princess Royal, who as a teenager was drafted in for the newly devised royal walkabouts. “We hated them!” she recalls, amusingly.
Alagiah maintains that on occasion the Queen’s quiet diplomacy was even instrumental in steering the course of history: for example, her charm offensive during a 1961 tour of Ghana keeping the communist-leaning President Kwame Nkrumah onside – an event covered in Netflix’s The Crown. Commentators include William Heseltine, who upholds Alagiah’s admiration for the monarch’s dedication. Vicki Power