Saturday, 19 March 2016

Her Majesty the Queen, about to celebrate her 90th birthday...Wow!

What the other royals think of the Queen: Robert Hardman goes behind the scenes of special televised tribute filmed over a year as the monarch prepares to celebrate her 90th birthday

  • A candid new documentary reveals candid insights into the Queen's life as she turns 90
  • It features interviews with more members of the royal family than ever before including the Duchess of Cambridge 
  • Our Queen At Ninety airs on Easter Sunday, 27 March, at 8pm on ITV
There is no greeting line today. No one is expecting her to say something or unveil something. For an hour or so, she can put all her other thoughts aside in the company of a handful of trusted companions. 
A few months short of her 90th birthday, the Queen has just finished riding in the grounds of Windsor Castle on a favourite fell pony called Emma. It’s a cold winter’s day and she is back on her own two feet, in a headscarf and jodhpurs, and wandering among the four-legged residents of Windsor’s Royal Mews.
These are not racehorses or cavalry horses or carriage horses – the sort we usually associate with the monarch. These are the horses which she and other members of her family ride themselves. Accompanied by the man in charge of these stables, Terry Pendry, the Queen has a bag of treats: carrots. She stops in front of a magnificent specimen, a gift from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police by the name of Elizabeth. 
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A candid new documentary featuring more royals than ever before reveals some never before seen insights into the Queen's life as she reaches her 90th birthday. The Duchess of Cambridge reveals that her son Prince George calls the Queen Gan-Gan
A candid new documentary featuring more royals than ever before reveals some never before seen insights into the Queen's life as she reaches her 90th birthday. The Duchess of Cambridge reveals that her son Prince George calls the Queen Gan-Gan
The Duke Of Cambridge talks about his relationship with the monarch in the documentary
The Duke Of Cambridge talks about his relationship with the monarch in the documentary

Dress like the Duchess in a classic tweed jacket

For the Queen's upcoming 90th birthday, members of the Royal Family have taken part in a documentary to give us all a small glimpse into the monarch's life.
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Her Majesty The Queen at work in Buckingham Palace reading daily correspondence from her 'red box' of official papers
Her Majesty The Queen at work in Buckingham Palace reading daily correspondence from her 'red box' of official papers
Elizabeth II holds up a carrot, and Elizabeth the horse wolfs it down. At which point a wonderful smile breaks out on the most famous face on the planet. It’s a well-worn cliché to talk about the Queen looking ‘radiant’ but that is the only word to describe her look. There’s an obvious, unspoken connection with her namesake.
This is the Queen as the world seldom sees her. But as she prepares to celebrate a very personal milestone, it’s a side of the sovereign we are all about to enjoy. For much of the last year, during which the Queen has become the longest-reigning monarch in British history, a small television documentary team (of which I have been a part) has been granted privileged access to the Queen and to those who know her best. 
The result is Our Queen At Ninety, a historic two-hour ITV documentary which will be broadcast for the first time on Easter Sunday. Like the record-breaking monarch it celebrates, it’s a programme with a record of its own since it includes contributions from more members of the Royal Family than any royal documentary ever made.
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The Duchess says that the Queen gave her gentle guidance towards being in the public eye after she married William 
The Duchess says that the Queen gave her gentle guidance towards being in the public eye after she married William 
The Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge are seen attending the Diplomatic Reception hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace in November 2015 during the documentary
The Duke and Duchess Of Cambridge are seen attending the Diplomatic Reception hosted by Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace in November 2015 during the documentary
The Queen with Prince Philip at last year’s Braemar Gathering which the entire royal family is said to be big fans of 
The Queen with Prince Philip at last year’s Braemar Gathering which the entire royal family is said to be big fans of 
The Queen attends the 100th Annual General Meeting of the Women's Institute at the Royal Albert Hall and cuts a centenary fruit cake with Julie Clarke, chairwoman of the WI's North Yorkshire West Federation, the Princess Royal and the Countess of Wessex (right)
The Queen attends the 100th Annual General Meeting of the Women's Institute at the Royal Albert Hall and cuts a centenary fruit cake with Julie Clarke, chairwoman of the WI's North Yorkshire West Federation, the Princess Royal and the Countess of Wessex (right)
The Daily Mail's Robert Hardman with the Duchess of Cornwall during filming for the documentary, with (left) director Ashley Gething 
The Daily Mail's Robert Hardman with the Duchess of Cornwall during filming for the documentary, with (left) director Ashley Gething 

CHARLES: I’LL HAVE KNOWN HER FOR 68 YEARS!

Charles and Anne as children with the Queen in 1958
Charles and Anne as children with the Queen in 1958
Prince Charles speaking from Clarence House on the documentary
Prince Charles speaking from Clarence House on the documentary
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Charles and Anne as children with the Queen in 1958, left, and the prince speaking from Clarence House on the documentary, right 
The Prince of Wales recalls the way his childhood was transformed following the Queen’s accession to the throne in 1952. ‘Suddenly life changed,’ he explains, during a conversation at Clarence House. 
‘Then at a very young age, my sister and I would go with our parents to different events. I remember going to the Bertram Mills Circus years and years ago.’ He has never forgotten the sight of the greeting line. As he recalls, 
‘The horror of following along and thinking, “How do you do? How do you do?” and thinking: how are you ever going to know what to say? But it’s a funny thing. Because if you follow along, you learn. You pick up.’
He chuckles as he mentions a recent discussion: ‘I was saying to my mother the other day, “Do you realise that when you reach 90, I shall have known you for 68 years?” She had to laugh a little bit.’
Himself the longest-serving heir to the throne in history, the Prince is full of delightful insights into the way the Queen has been such a constant presence. 
‘When you think that, all these years the Queen has been on the throne, that in itself is a huge achievement – coping with so many different challenges and complications; always being there really in that remarkable way.’ He pauses and then comes up with the word which, surely, defines our Queen as well as any: ‘steadfast’.
We will hear how the Queen has gently guided and encouraged successive royal generations – in the words of those born into the family and those married into it, including the Duchess of Cambridge, giving an interview for the first time since her engagement in 2010, along with the Duchess of Cornwall and the Countess of Wessex.
We will see the inspiration the Queen has been – and continues to be – to so many people all over the world, be they charity workers, David Beckham or the winners of the Rugby World Cup.
We will see her energy and her sense of humour. There’s a moment of regal mischief as the Queen, in evening gown, tiara and Garter sash, gathers with her family in a Buckingham Palace ante-room. ‘If we open the door,’ she asks, ‘do you think there is anybody there?’ Whereupon a page opens the door, there’s an almighty trumpet fanfare and 600 diplomats are standing in line waiting for a handshake.
Above all, we will see a monarch who, dare one say it, is not quite as thrilled about a birthday with a round number as everyone else. For if there is one overarching impression after all our filming, it is that the Queen is focusing firmly on business as usual.
In the course of making this film, we have been delighted that so many people who really know the Queen have found time to discuss how much she means to them. And the more we listen to her family, the more we see the subtle but steady way in which the Queen has trained up one royal generation followed by another – and is now on to a third.
The Duke of Cambridge certainly remains eternally grateful for the way his grandmother has given him time and space to prepare for the future. ‘Growing up, having this figurehead, having this stability above me, has been incredible,’ he says. ‘I’ve been able to explore, understand, carve my own path. I greatly appreciate and value that protection.’
The Duke offers several shrewd observations on the way his grandmother approaches the job that will one day be his – and some entertaining anecdotes, too. Having accompanied the Queen on many engagements, he is well aware that pretty much anything can happen in the presence of the sovereign. 
‘A lot of people get very excited and nervous around her and I’ve seen some very comical moments,’ he says. ‘I’ve seen people literally faint in front of her. And it’s quite a startling moment as to what to do – when you faint in front of the Queen.’
A more common problem (and it’s one which can afflict the brightest and most confident people) is simply being lost for words. ‘There’s a lot of trembling knees – and people can’t talk sometimes,’ says the Duke. ‘It’s quite difficult talking to people when they can’t talk. You don’t get very far. I don’t get past the hellos!’
If royal duties are challenging for those who grew up in the fold, the Queen understands that it’s harder still for those who are new to walkabouts and state occasions. One person with fresh memories of all that is the newest recruit to the royal frontline. 
‘I think there is a real art to walkabouts,’ says the Duchess of Cambridge, smiling as she adds, ‘Everyone teases me in the family that I spend far too long chatting. So I’ve still got to learn a little bit more – and pick up a few more tips.’
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The Queen's sense of humour shines through in the documentary, seen here making the Duchess Of Cambridge laugh
The Queen's sense of humour shines through in the documentary, seen here making the Duchess Of Cambridge laugh
The Queen cuts a cake as she attends an engagement to mark 100 years of the W.I as she remains as active as every in her 90th year
The Queen cuts a cake as she attends an engagement to mark 100 years of the W.I as she remains as active as every in her 90th year
The Queen feeds carrots to her namesake steed Elizabeth at Windsor’s Royal Mews
The Queen feeds carrots to her namesake steed Elizabeth at Windsor’s Royal Mews
The Queen riding Emma, one of her favourite fell ponies, at Windsor Great Park 
The Queen riding Emma, one of her favourite fell ponies, at Windsor Great Park 
In her first solo interview, the Duchess explains how the Queen has gone out of her way to help her adjust to life in the family spotlight since she married Prince William in 2011. ‘She’s been very generous,’ she says. ‘I feel she’s been a gentle guidance really for me.’
One day still sticks out in the Duchess’s mind – 8 March, 2012. It was Day One of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour of the United Kingdom. And the Duchess was minus her husband – on duty with the RAF in the Falkland Islands – as she joined the Queen and Prince Philip in the East Midlands. 
‘The most memorable engagement for me, I suppose, was an away-day to Leicester. I went without William so I was rather apprehensive about that,’ says the Duchess, in conversation with the director of the programme at Kensington Palace. While describing herself as a ‘very small element’ in such an important day for the Queen, the Duchess says that the Queen was ‘very supportive’.
‘The fact she took the time to make sure that I was happy – and looked after me – shows just how caring she is.’
She also explains how excited the Queen was by the arrival of Princess Charlotte last May. ‘It’s very special having a new little girl. I feel very, very lucky that George has got a little sister. The Queen was really thrilled that it was a little girl and I think as soon as we came back here, to Kensington, she was one of our first visitors.’
The Duchess reveals that two-year-old Prince George has a special name for his great-grandmother. ‘He calls her Gan-Gan,’ she says, adding that ‘Gan-Gan’ is particularly attentive whenever the younger Cambridges are staying with her. ‘She always leaves a little gift or something in their room when we stay. And that just shows, I think, her love for her family.’
One of many poignant voices in the film is the man who was at the front of the queue at the first investiture of the Queen’s reign in 1952. Private Bill Speakman was, therefore, the recipient of the first of an estimated 400,000 honours she has bestowed as monarch. And he was in pride of place for a very good reason. He was receiving the Victoria Cross for heroism during the Korean War.
‘I don’t know what the odds were but it was a bloody lot and we just fought and we fought and we fought,’ recalls Bill, now 88. ‘I got hit twice. I didn’t realise till they said, “Bill, you’ve got a hole in your shoulder and you’ve got a hole in your leg.” That’s when I hit the ground. I fainted.’

HANDS-ON AT A STATE BANQUET

You need only watch the Queen’s hands-on preparations for the arrival of President Xi Jinping of China at the Palace five months ago to see how meticulously she likes to plan these things. ‘You’ve got your microphones well hidden,’ she tells the Master of the Household, Vice Admiral Anthony Johnstone-Burt and his team as they inspect the table ahead of the state banquet. It’s a fabulous spectacle – thousands of pieces of cutlery, crystal and silver gilt laid out for 170 guests – but the Queen and her team are focusing on the practicalities.
There will be speeches so microphones are needed but the Queen doesn’t want them cluttering the table. Nor does she want a return to the alternative. ‘In the old days they used to march up the middle and plonk them down in front of us,’ she reminds us. Tonight, however, no one will see the microphones because they have been concealed in the flower arrangements. She wants to check the lighting too. ‘What do you think of the spotlights, Ma’am?’ asks the Master. ‘Are you happy with those?’ ‘Yes, they’re all right,’ says the Queen – just as long as they’re dimmed as soon as the speeches are over.
Prince William is certainly very proud of the way his grandmother organises such occasions. ‘We’re very good at pomp and ceremony in the UK. Round the world it’s seen as a real coup to be able to pull off something like that. For such a small country we pack a big international punch.’
Back home, he received a hero’s welcome but it was his encounter with the Queen that sticks in his mind. ‘It was her first award. She was very nervous and so was I,’ he says, remembering the new Queen’s concern for his injuries. ‘I said, “Yes, Ma’am. I’m OK. My wounds are healing.” She said, “We’re very, very proud of what you’ve done.” What she said to me has meant a lot to me ever since. I don’t think there’s a medal big enough to give the Queen.’ Thus speaks a holder of the Victoria Cross. And they’re still in touch.
As the Duke of Cambridge explains, today’s Armed Forces have exactly the same bond with the Queen. ‘It’s to do with shared values – sacrifice, dedication, loyalty,’ says the Duke, speaking at the Cambridgeshire hangar where he is based with the East Anglian Air Ambulance. 
Having served in all three Services, the Duke offers an intriguing insight into the way the family – and thus Her Majesty – view the place of the military in modern society. ‘The Armed Forces don’t get enough recognition. So, it’s a key part of the Royal Family and the monarch to bring that to light.’
Prince Harry says he is in awe of what the Queen has done for the Commonwealth
Prince Harry says he is in awe of what the Queen has done for the Commonwealth
Princess Eugenie also speaks of the Duke of Edinburgh. 'I think Grandpa is incredible,' she said
Princess Eugenie also speaks of the Duke of Edinburgh. 'I think Grandpa is incredible,' she said
Princess Beatrice speaks fondly of the monarch as the documentary features more members of the royal family than any show before
Princess Beatrice speaks fondly of the monarch as the documentary features more members of the royal family than any show before
Prince Harry says that he has asked his grandmother many years what her secret is but she refuses to tell 
Prince Harry says that he has asked his grandmother many years what her secret is but she refuses to tell 
The film has been made by Oxford Film & Television, the team behind the internationally acclaimed 2013 ITV documentary Our Queen. It’s directed by the award-winning Ashley Gething and written by me (as the author of Our Queen). Between us, Ashley and I have interviewed 11 members of the Royal Family and numerous world leaders, public figures and ordinary members of the public. 
But where do you begin with a celebration of the Queen’s 90 years? She has witnessed so much history at first hand, so much change. No monarch in history has reigned through the sort of social or media revolution which has occurred on the Queen’s watch. An entire series could hardly do justice to it all.
Our filming started on the morning after the general election – inside Downing Street. In fact, we got the very first post-election interview with a bleary-eyed but elated David Cameron, freshly scrubbed and in his suit as he prepared to head off to the Palace to see the Queen. After his first general election, in 2010, he could only assure her that he would do his best to form a coalition. At least this time around, with a majority, he could assure her that he had a government up his sleeve. As he puts it, ‘When you go and see Her Majesty The Queen, as some of my predecessors have said, you always leave feeling at least six inches taller.’
That day also happened to be the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe – VE Day. It’s a day the Queen remembers well since she famously managed to sneak out from the Palace with Princess Margaret and join the crowds in front of the Palace chanting, ‘We want the King.’ Come 2015, she would lead the national commemorations. We were there for that, too.
Her majesty the Queen with Charles,  William, Kate and George and Harry at last year’s Trooping the Colour
Her majesty the Queen with Charles,  William, Kate and George and Harry at last year’s Trooping the Colour
Queen Elizabeth II departs from Buckingham Palace in London for a day of engagements as the historic documentary enjoyed privileged access to her and to those who know her best during the year in which she has become our longest-reigning monarch
Queen Elizabeth II departs from Buckingham Palace in London for a day of engagements as the historic documentary enjoyed privileged access to her and to those who know her best during the year in which she has become our longest-reigning monarch
David Cameron says ‘When you go and see Her Majesty The Queen, as some of my predecessors have said, you always leave feeling at least six inches taller' 
David Cameron says ‘When you go and see Her Majesty The Queen, as some of my predecessors have said, you always leave feeling at least six inches taller' 
But what was abundantly clear from the start is that the Queen is very much a ‘now’ person, not a ‘then’ person. She is fiercely loyal to the past, of course, and devoted to the memory of her parents. But her focus, more than ever, is now on the future – of her country and of the institution she leads. As Princess Beatrice says proudly of her grandmother, ‘She’s such a timeless figure.’

THE NIGHT THE QUEEN MET THE BRUISERS

Though the Queen remains firmly in charge, the film highlights the way in which the monarchy is increasingly a team operation, with different generations joining forces to put on the big events. 
A typical example is the night when the Queen invites members of every squad involved in the 2015 Rugby World Cup to Buckingham Palace. It’s quite a sight to see these enormous, battered athletes squeezed into their best suits.
‘It means a huge amount to people to be invited into Buckingham Palace,’ says Prince Harry, honorary president of the tournament’s organising committee, looking back on the party with pride – but also a degree of sympathy for all these bruisers. They might be fearless on the pitch but talking to the Queen is another matter. 
‘Then you’re told you’re going to get to meet her, and suddenly it’s like – ahh – cold drips of sweat coming down. Most of the guys can’t do their top button up because their necks are so big and their ties are off to the side. But I was actually quite impressed. Most of the guys actually looked really smart – including the Kiwis!’
So this was not going to be a history show. We’d not review the highs and lows. We’d not contrast her triumphal trio of jubilees and that boisterous first round of royal marriages in the 1980s with the sorrows of the 1992 ‘annus horribilis’ or the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 (or, indeed, the death of the Queen’s father, mother, sister or any other member of the family).
This is a celebration of a life still very much lived to the full. We have certainly touched on the past when it connects directly to the Queen of today. There is glorious footage spanning her whole life, including some beautiful, never-seen-before home-movie clips of her days as a young Royal Navy wife in Malta. But a retrospective portrait seemed the wrong way to mark the birthday of a thriving head of state who remains very much at the top of her game and universally admired on the world stage. Witness that seismic state visit to Ireland less than five years ago.
Wherever our cameras went and whomever we talked to, one question was always thrown straight back at us. People might want to touch on all sorts of different aspects of the Queen’s life. But the conversation would always come back round to exactly the same point: ‘How does she do it?’
Princess Eugenie touches on one factor – the Duke of Edinburgh. ‘I think Grandpa is incredible,’ she says. ‘He is strong and consistent. He’s been there all these years, and I think he’s the rock – for all of us.’ It’s hard to overstate the Duke’s contribution to this reign and to the monarchy. His marriage to the Queen is the longest of any British sovereign. But what else? ‘I’ve been asking her for years what her secret is but she won’t tell me,’ chuckles Prince Harry.
Less than four months ago, Ashley and the crew accompanied him to South Africa, following in the footsteps of a young Princess Elizabeth. When the future Queen arrived there in 1947, it was the first time she’d been abroad. 
It was there that she made her historic 21st birthday broadcast, pledging ‘my whole life, whether it be long or short’ to her people. Nearly 70 years later, her words are imprinted on Prince Harry’s mind as he visits places like Siyabonga Secondary School in Soweto. ‘A hugely moving speech,’ he reflects. ‘It’s just incredible to know that someone at that age appreciated and understood exactly what was expected of them. To put duty ahead of everything else so early on in her life is quite remarkable.’
In Soweto, Prince Harry meets some of the award winners of the Queen’s Young Leaders Programme, a new scheme to unearth talent across the 53 nations of the Commonwealth – itself an organisation which owes its very existence to the Queen. The Prince remains in awe of all that his grandmother has done. ‘I look at the Commonwealth and it’s a force for good across the whole world,’ he says. 
‘I think she should be incredibly proud of what she’s led and what she’s created amongst a huge amount of people from different ethnic backgrounds, different skin colours, different experiences, different islands – whatever it be. She’s created this. Hats off to her! It’s incredible.’ His elder brother, the Duke of Cambridge, puts it another way: ‘She’s been there, done it, got the T-shirt!’
So what else is it that keeps the Queen happy, healthy and eager for new adventures? At the end of one particularly busy day, the camera crew are still following at 11pm as she rounds off the evening at London’s Euston Station to take the Royal Train overnight for a full day of engagements in Birmingham. Clearly, she thoroughly enjoys her role and has given no thought to retirement (which she would, no doubt, regard as a dereliction of her Coronation Oath). There are also certain places which help recharge the royal batteries, notably Balmoral. 
‘It’s the most beautiful place on earth. I think Granny is the most happy there,’ says Princess Eugenie. ‘I think she really, really loves the Highlands.’ Why? ‘Walks, picnics, dogs – a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs – and people coming in and out all the time. It’s a lovely base for Granny and Grandpa, for us to come and see them up there; where you just have room to breathe and run.’ Like the Queen, all the family love the fun and drama of the local Highland Games, the Braemar Gathering.
The Duke of York is always tickled by the way in which the Queen seems to know more about what’s happening on Deeside than anyone else. ‘Her intelligence network – of who’s done what, what’s happened, who’s ill, who’s died, who’s had a birth – is extraordinary,’ he laughs. ‘How she finds out is a mystery.’
It’s the same with horses. In a delightful interview – only the second she has given – the Duchess of Cornwall tells me how much they mean to the Queen. ‘Who else is riding at 90?’ she asks in front of a roaring fire at Clarence House. ‘That’s what’s so incredible.’ Who indeed? We pick up plenty of engaging insights, too, during a wide-ranging chat with the Countess of Wessex.
But I think what energises the Queen more than anything else is what keeps most people going: the support of a loving family. That’s why the Windsors, along with the rest of the country, will be celebrating in the coming weeks. It should be a hell of a party – even if the birthday girl herself would rather be handing out carrots to her horses than counting the candles on her cake. 
She's the Queen to us but to George she's Gan-Gan! Kate reveals the prince's name for his great-grandmother – and her delight at having a great-granddaughter 
The Queen joins the rest of the Royal Family - including a distracted Prince George - outside the church after Princess Charlotte's christening
The Queen joins the rest of the Royal Family - including a distracted Prince George - outside the church after Princess Charlotte's christening
The Queen’s incredible bond with her great-grandchildren Prince George and Princess Charlotte was revealed by the Duchess of Cambridge in her first ever solo interview.
Kate said the Queen was ‘really thrilled’ when told the newest member of the Royal Family was a little girl and baby Charlotte’s older brother, two-year-old George, affectionately calls his great-grandmother ‘Gan-Gan’, the Duchess said in the landmark interview to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday next month.
The Queen leaves little gifts for the young Cambridge siblings whenever they come to stay, Kate added in an interview for the two-hour portrait of Her Majesty.
Hats off to Granny! Prince Harry reveals admiration for the Queen - and how she knew just what to say when she was thrust into the role as a young woman 
In his own tribute to his grandmother, Prince Harry chose to reflect on a speech she had made aged 21 in South Africa pledging her life to her people.
Harry, 31, said: ‘It’s just incredible to know that someone at that age appreciated and understood exactly what was expected of them.’ 
The Commonwealth was in its infancy when The Queen became its head, and it had eight members. 
Now 53 countries are on its books and the Queen has visited almost all of them. 
The Queen's first visit to a Commonwealth country was in 1947 when she travelled to South Africa with her family, and during the trip the then Princess celebrated her 21st birthday - and gave her famous speech 
The Queen's first visit to a Commonwealth country was in 1947 when she travelled to South Africa with her family, and during the trip the then Princess celebrated her 21st birthday - and gave her famous speech 
The Queen's first visit to a Commonwealth country was in 1947 when she travelled to South Africa with her family, and during the trip the then Princess celebrated her 21st birthday. 
When the future Queen arrived there in 1947, it was the first time she’d been abroad.
It was there that she made her historic broadcast pledging 'my whole life, whether it be long or short,' to her people.  
Nearly 70 years later, her words are imprinted on Prince Harry’s mind. ‘A hugely moving speech,’ he reflects. 
Prince Harry visited Belize - a Commonwealth Realm - as part of a Diamond Jubilee tour
Prince Harry visited Belize - a Commonwealth Realm - as part of a Diamond Jubilee tour
The Prince hugs Mutso, a young boy he made friends with on his first visit to Lesotho, South Africa
The Prince hugs Mutso, a young boy he made friends with on his first visit to Lesotho, South Africa
King George VI, the Queen and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret stand on the dais as they wave to the crowds welcoming them, during the Royal Tour of South Africa
King George VI, the Queen and Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret stand on the dais as they wave to the crowds welcoming them, during the Royal Tour of South Africa
'I've seen people literally faint in front of her': Prince William tells of comical moments when meeting the Queen gets a bit too much for well-wishers 
The filmmakers deliberately avoided a retrospective portrait of the Queen’s long life, they said, because it seemed the wrong way to mark the birthday of a thriving head of state who remains very much at the top of her game. 
Interviewed separately for the programme, the Duke of Cambridge spoke of his gratitude that his grandmother had given him the time and space to ‘be able to explore, understand [and] carve my own path.’
The Duke has offered several shrewd observations on the way his grandmother approaches the job that will one day be his – and some entertaining anecdotes, too
The Duke has offered several shrewd observations on the way his grandmother approaches the job that will one day be his – and some entertaining anecdotes, too
His Royal Highness The Prince of Cambridge Prince William prepares the helicopter at the East Anglian Air Ambulance Base
His Royal Highness The Prince of Cambridge Prince William prepares the helicopter at the East Anglian Air Ambulance Base
William combines his role as a father with working 20 hours a week as a helicopter pilot.
Among fascinating glimpses into the sovereign’s work, the Duke said people often got nervous when meeting her. ‘I’ve seen people literally faint in front of her,’ he recalled. 
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are happiest in Balmoral where there is 'room to breathe and run', says Eugenie as she describes Prince Philip as 'the rock for all of us'
Princess Eugenie, another interviewee, credits the Duke of Edinburgh, saying he has been ‘a rock’ for the whole family. She also says her ‘Granny’ is happiest when in Balmoral, ‘the most beautiful place on earth.’ 
Summer at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, is a place as dear to the Royal family as anywhere on Earth. As the Queen once explained, Balmoral is a place for hibernating, and for truly being herself. 
The Queen feels a deep sense of belonging in the Highlands, a place where the locals are not just neighbours, but where many are old friends.
The Duke's marriage to the Queen is the longest of any British sovereign. Pictured, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Balmoral in 1972
The Duke's marriage to the Queen is the longest of any British sovereign. Pictured, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh at Balmoral in 1972
Summer at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, is a place as dear to the Royal family as anywhere on Earth, Here, Baby Prince Andrew perches on Prince Philip's lap during a picnic on the grounds of Balmoral Castle. Looking on are Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne
Summer at Balmoral, in the Scottish Highlands, is a place as dear to the Royal family as anywhere on Earth, Here, Baby Prince Andrew perches on Prince Philip's lap during a picnic on the grounds of Balmoral Castle. Looking on are Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew,  Prince Edward and  Princess Anne at Balmoral Castle during the Royal Family's annual summer holiday in August 1972
The Queen, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Prince of Wales, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Princess Anne at Balmoral Castle during the Royal Family's annual summer holiday in August 1972
Our Queen At Ninety airs on Easter Sunday, 27 March, at 8pm on ITV.

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