New BBC film The Unseen Queen will transport us back in time this Sunday

BBC
A 75-minute documentary of Queen Elizabeth II told in her own words will feature previously unseen movies from the family archive (Image credit: BBC)

Photography and filmmaking has the unique ability to transport us back into the past, making distant memories vivid, or allowing us to glimpse back into the lives of others and see them in a different light – something that will be familiar if you've ever looked at photo albums of your parents when they were young!

Ahead of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee on May 6 2022, it looks like Buckingham Palace and the BBC have joined forces to release a new film called Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen which will include footage of the monarch from her early years in a fun, spirited light – alongside hundreds of other clips taken from her record-breaking 70-reign as queen of the United Kingdom.

A trailer for the programme has appeared on various news outlets including BBC news which says "the documentary reveals for the first time unseen private family videos of the Queen as a young girl."

Read more: Have you seen these rare photos of the Queen?

Over 75 minutes the programme is set to include (as its titles suggests) unseen footage of the Queen as a young person, which will certainly fascinate royalists and perhaps enable some audiences to see her in a new way. 

The short film trailer doesn't give too much away but shows us vignettes of HRH the Queen smiling on board the Royal Navy’s battleship HMS Vanguard in 1947. We'd also expect to see extracts from her famous speeches over the years, as well as public addresses.

If you're wondering where you can watch Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen, it will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK on May 29th at 7.45pm (BST), while viewing access in regions around the world will be different.

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Lauren Scott
Managing Editor

Lauren is the Managing Editor of Digital Camera World, having previously served as Editor of Digital Photographer magazine, a practical-focused publication that inspires hobbyists and seasoned pros alike to take truly phenomenal shots and get the best results from their kit. 


An experienced photography journalist who has been covering the industry for over eight years, she has also served as technique editor for both PhotoPlus: The Canon MagazinePhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine and DCW's sister publication, Digital Camera Magazine


In addition to techniques and tutorials that enable you to achieve great results from your cameras, lenses, tripods and other photography equipment, Lauren can regularly be found interviewing some of the biggest names in the industry, sharing tips and guides on subjects like landscape and wildlife photography, and raising awareness for subjects such as mental health and women in photography.