Primetime DVD Review: “Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths And Secrets, Vol. 1”

DVD Review!

Lucy Worsley's Royal Myths And Secrets, Vol. 1 DVD cover

“Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths And Secrets, Vol. 1” Review by Suzanne 2/20/21

This is a very fun series. Entertainer and historian Lucy Worsley hosts this look at various historical events involving British royalty. She uses historical places and things that still exist, costumes, actors to re-enact events, humorous language and more to make the history really come alive. She not only talks about history, but she gives her own spin on the events and what she thinks really happened, based on historical investigation.

I’ve never really cared much about history, but this series is entertaining and educational. All history should be taught this way. For that matter, everything should be taught this way. Learning should be fun and entertaining. Make sure you don’t miss this series, whether you enjoy history or not.

My only complaint is that there is no closed captioning nor any features or extras.

Buy this DVD

MORE INFORMATION:

THREE NEW DRAMAS FROM MASTERPIECE 
ON DVD & BLU-RAY THIS FEBRUARY 
FROM PBS DISTRIBUTION

Below is a listing of the upcoming DVD/Blu-Ray releases from PBS Distribution slated for February.Every purchase helps support public television for all.

  • Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths and Secrets Volume 1 – 2/23/21

Genre: History
Run Time: 162 min. on 1 disc – DVD
SRP: $24.99

—Discover the Legacy and Impact of 3 of Europe’s Most Iconic Queens—

This program is part of PBS’ summer-long celebration of women trailblazers!

Rediscover the true stories behind three of history’s most remarkable queens and their roles in historical events on the three-part series LUCY WORSLEY’S ROYAL MYTHS & SECRETS. Lucy Worsley, chief curator of the Historic Royal Palaces, travels across Britain and Europe visiting the incredible locations — beautiful palaces, castles and dramatic battlefields — where royal history was made.

Throughout, Worsley investigates how royal history is a mixture of facts, exaggeration, manipulation and mythology.

Notable women and their roles in historical events are featured: Elizabeth I and the Spanish Armada, Queen Anne and the Formation of Great Britain, and Marie Antoinette and the French Revolution.

These three women helped forge the Europe we know today, but Worsley explains how their stories are riddled with inaccuracies.

  • Was Elizabeth I’s defeat of the Spanish Armada really a David and Goliath triumph, or is that one of England’s greatest myths?
  • How did rumors about Queen Anne’s love life and physical weaknesses overshadow her role in forging Great Britain?
  • Did Marie Antoinette actually say “Let them eat cake!” and ignite the French Revolution?

Worsley reveals how history is thought of as a definitive truth about the past, but is often misrepresented through rumor, speculation and sometimes outright lies.

“History is a chorus of voices, each of them shouting out its own version of the story,” Worsley observes in the series. “Very often, it’s the loudest voices that get heard most clearly.”

EPISODE GUIDE:

Episode 1: “Elizabeth I: The Warrior Queen” airs Sunday, June 21 at 8 p.m. – Join Lucy Worsley for an exploration of how Elizabeth I’s image as a warrior queen, created by a series of myths and secrets about her victory over the Spanish Armada, shaped British national identity for centuries.

Episode 2: “Queen Anne: The Mother of Great Britain” airs Sunday, June 28 at 8 p.m. – Investigate why Queen Anne’s powerful role in the forging of Great Britain has often been forgotten. Lucy Worsley shares the inside story of the salacious gossip about Anne’s love life that helped destroy her image and legacy.

Episode 3: “Marie Antoinette: The Doomed Queen” airs Sunday, July 5 at 8 p.m. – Find out why Marie Antoinette is often blamed for causing the French Revolution by saying “let them eat cake” to her starving subjects. Lucy Worsley uncovers the myths and secrets that led the doomed queen to the guillotine.

Join The Conversation:

Lucy Worsley is on Facebook. Follow @Lucy_Worsley on Twitter.

Join the conversation about TRAILBLAZERS by tagging @PBS and using #TrailblazersPBS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Credits:

Produced by the BBC, with funding for the PBS presentation provided by public television viewers. The executive producer is Chris Granlund. Episode 1 produced and directed by Laura Blount. Episode 2 produced and directed by Tom Cholmondeley. Episode 3 produced and directed by Andrew Thompson.

Proofread and Edited by Brenda

The opinions in these articles are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of TVMEG.COM or its other volunteers.

Lucy Worsley's Royal Myths And Secrets, Vol. 1