The Windsors
(Complete Series One and Two plus The Christmas Special)
“Irreverent
it may be, but get ready for
a right royal romp into the lives of the
re-imagined royal family as Channel 4’s
hilarious and outrageous satirical
comedy series The Windsors makes its
home entertainment debut...”
WITH AN ALL-STAR COMEDY LINE-UP, Channel 4's riotous supposed lives of the
royals, The Windsors, sees them struggling to ensure the younger generation
upholds the traditions of The Firm in Series One, while dealing with in-fighting
and plots for the throne.
Prince Charles (the inimitable Harry Enfield: Harry Enfield and Chums)
wants to see son Wills (Hugh Skinner: W1A), who is working in a local
café, be more royal. But Wills, married to former gypsy tarmac-layer Kate (Louise
Ford: Crashing) wants to be "normal" and fly the air ambulance.
“The
Windsors... A
rib-crackingly brazen
and presumptuous
comedy series
that is delectably idiotic
and zany...”
Kate,
the mother of George and Charlotte, is trying to find her feet, and she and
her husband bask in the love of the common people — to the chagrin of Camilla
(Haydn Gwynne: Drop The Dead Donkey), who is plotting to have a child
herself to eventually succeed Charles.
Meanwhile the illiterate Harry (Richard Goulding) is obsessed with the sexy,
saucy Pippa (Morgana Robinson: Morgana Robinson's The Agency) and her
famous derriere. Jealous of and sneeringly unkind to sister Kate, Pippa hopes
to secure a wealthy and influential husband.
Fergie (Katy Wix: Not Going Out) is determined to enjoy her life as a
party girl; while her daughters, Beatrice (Ellie White: Year Friends)
and Eugenie (Celeste Dring: Morgana Robinson's The Agency) realise they
need to work to solve their cash flow problem.
Desperate Prince Edward (Matthew Cottle: Citizen Khan) struggles to repay
a sizeable loan and is reduced to humble occupations. He baby-sits for Kate
and Wills, but has absolutely no idea about health and safety!
Kate goes North to meet the people, but Camilla turns up to take the glory with
chip butties. Then Kate gets Ebola and Tony Blair is doomed after ridding her
of the disease.
Richard (John Macmillan), the son of one of the singers in The Three Degrees,
turns up claiming Charles is likely to be his father; meanwhile Beatrice and
Eugenie attempt to get their parents back together.
Australia wants to leave The Commonwealth and Prince Harry may have to marry
the PM's daughter to keep them in. Kate and Wills move to a semi in Rickmansworth
to live normal lives and a sleazy Prince Andrew (a terrific spoof by Tim Wallers:
RocknRolla), is blackmailed by Prince Philip (he and the Queen never
appear) to get Fergie out of the country.
Pippa announces her engagement and Harry's all-night bender is a disaster. Series
One concludes with a referendum, backed by Wills, to abolish the monarchy —
and much is blamed on the 1970s!
The Christmas Special is quite extraordinary with a fabulously frosty Princess
Anne (Vicki Pepperdine: Getting On) taking charge of things at Sandringham while
Kate attempts to cook for everyone.
Charles is forced to make a live appearance for The Queen's Speech, during which
he declares war on the EU. Prince Harry persuades Pippa to help at a soup kitchen
where he meets Ellie Goulding (Lizzy Connolly) and a tramp who has lost his
memory (Ben Lambert).
One of the many portraits in Buckingham Palace that regularly come to life offering
advice is that of King George III (Paul Whitehouse: The Fast Show) as
the Ghost of Christmas Past. As well as a nod to A Christmas Carol, there
are shades of Rebecca and Nanny McPhee. Camilla desires being
The Snow Queen. Superb.
In Series Two, Harry introduces his gushing, gaffe-prone new girlfriend Meghan
(Kathryn Drysdale: Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps), an American
divorcee (ring any bells?), to Wills and Kate, who has a very inconvenient gypsy
curse put on her.
Wills wants to be a hands-on father; but a portrait of Richard the Lionheart
(David Newman) comes to life warning him to be at the lunch for the visiting
Chinese, where Fergie is trying to promote her business and a magnificent cat
fight between Theresa May (Gillian Bevan: Teachers) and Camilla has astonishing
results.
Harry buys a nightclub but is shafted by Pippa's fiancé — the tramp who
lost his memory is actually billionaire Johnny Mathers — and Harry has
missed Pippa's hints that he should stop her wedding.
The arrival of Gypsy Ricky (Harry Peacock) heralds the news that Kate is actually
his wife; and the discovery of Charles' long-lost twin brother, is a hoot. Donald
Trump (perfectly played by Corey Johnson: Captain Phillips) makes an
indecent proposal to Camilla.
A rib-crackingly brazen and presumptuous comedy series that is delectably idiotic
and zany, The Windsors was the highest-rating comedy series launch (2016)
on Channel 4 since 2014. Bad language is overdone as The Windsors is
humorous enough to drop that; likewise the odd smutty line and toilet humour
is old hat and is unnecessary.
The Windsors also features: Lucy Montgomery as Elizabeth I; Jeremy Nicholas
as David Dimbleby; Clive Hayward as George VI; Michael Howe as Edward VII; Howard
Lee as King Alfred; Tim Fitzhigham as King Arthur; Justin Salinger as George
Osborne; Amy Booth-Steel as Nicola Sturgeon; James Doherty as Henry VIII; and
Joseph May as Justin Trudeau.
Music is by Ian Masterson; Cinematography by Greg Duffield and Ben Wheeler;
Created and Written by George Jeffrie and Bert Tyler-Moore (also two of the
Executive Producers); Producer is Izzy Mant; and Directed by Adam Miller.
*The Windsors Complete Series One and Two plus The Christmas Special is
released by Acorn Media International in the UK on DVD on 28 August 2017. Certificate:
15 | Running Time: 336 Minutes on two discs | Catalogue Number: AV3331 | RRP:
£24.99.
"The Windsors… A rib-crackingly brazen and presumptuous comedy series
that is delectably idiotic and zany" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar
"Hilarious… glorious… made me feel quite patriotic" — The Guardian
"The Windsors is a blast" — The Telegraph
"A sublimely daft look at the royal family… genuinely hilarious" — The
Express
"Broad, brash and camp… Forget Mrs Brown's Boys. This should be renamed Mrs
Windsor's Boys" — The Telegraph
“Irreverent
it may be, but get ready for