False rumours of royal infidelity and the Queen Mother’s £7MILLION overdraft: New documentary claims to expose the troubles faced by the Queen throughout her reign
- Channel 5 documentary reveals the domestic issues the Queen has faced
- Unveils the bad press Prince Phillip faced after rumours of an affair emerged
- Reveals the Queen Mother was left in debt after throwing lavish parties
They are Britain's most famous family but unlike the Kardashians the Royal's private lives are often kept under lock and key.
However, a new documentary claims to give a never before seen insight into the domestic trials a young Queen Elizabeth faced after taking the throne.
Inside Windsor Castle, a programme from Channel 5, suggests that the Queen was faced with marriage woes after her coronation.
In 1952, the keys to Windsor Castle were handed to Elizabeth Windsor, 26, who set about turning her private apartment within the castle into a family home.
Professor of History Kate Williams said 'she wanted to make it a family home. A relaxed home and far less stuffy and that's exactly what she did'.
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However, as Elizabeth settled into her royal duties her husband Prince Philip grew increasingly frustrated, the documentary suggests.
Feeling he had no place in the state affairs that kept his wife busy, the Queen found a solution on the castle’s doorstep, and in appointing Philip to be Ranger of Windsor Great Park, he took charge of 4,800 acres of parkland, farms and golf courses.
While her plan to keep him busy worked a charm it was not in the way the Queen had expected.
Philip became obsessed with polo and converted a disused airstrip in Windsor Great Park into one of the finest polo grounds in the world, which led to more trouble.
Historian Dr Piers Brendon tells viewers: 'He used his official position to make the county pay for his jaunts to polo and the treasury got very very cross about this.'
It wasn't long before the press became aware of Phillip's rumoured antics, and in 1956 American and Australian papers began printing allegations that Phillip was having affairs.
Although no evidence has ever been produced to suggest that Phillip was unfaithful, historians have speculated that something caused a stir in the royal marriage.
Dr Brendon continued: '[It] seems to be fairly clear that there was some kind of breakdown and of course lots of rumours of infidelity.
'None of which have stood up but it must be said the Duke of Edinbugh had lots of opportunities to misbehave.'
To put an end to the bad press the Queen, on the suggestion of advisors, sent Phillip away from the castle on the Royal Yacht Britannia in what the documentary refers to as 'exile'.
However, the Queen was then said to be facing further difficulties - reportedly this time created by her mother.
Following the death of her husband King George VI, the Queen Mother was no longer permitted to live inside Windsor Castle.
Luckily, Windsor has its own annex in the garden—the luxurious and secluded Royal Lodge—and there the Queen Mother quickly made herself at home.
No longer tasked with royal duties the Queen Mother began holding lavish parties in the lodge.
Lady Colin Campbell revealed that the Queen Mother rejoiced in her new freedom.
Speaking in the documentary she says: 'When the Queen Mother re-entered public life she did it with a bang while other dowager queens had done it with a whimper.
'And she continued banging until she died.'
Experts have described the royals' parties as 'Victorian gluttony', with drinks served from 7pm and bottles of £300 vintage champagne flowing throughout the evening.
The Queen Mother is thought to have bought so much Veuve Cliquot that she was the company’s largest private customer, the documentary says.
Lady Campbell adds: 'She was never known to be drunk but there were those who would say that she was never ever completely sober.'
However, her extravagance came at a cost. Upon her death in March 2002 the Queen Mother was said to be sitting on an overdraft of £7 million.
The Dowager Queen was given an annual allowance of around one million from tax payers but she she overspent every year - sometimes as much as six times over the allotted amount.
While this kind of news would have spelled disaster for the Queen, the documentary recounts how she confined the secrets of her mother's spending habits to the Lodge while paying off her debts.
Inside Windsor Castle is on tonight at 8pm on Channel 5.
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