The Queen Mother: Her Reign in Colour

When her brother-in-law, Edward VIII, ascended to the throne in 1936, the role of Elizabeth, Duchess of York, seemed set. She would be part of the royal family, but not a prominent member. But when Edward chose to abdicate and marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson, Britain was thrown into a constitutional crisis and Elizabeth and her husband-soon to be King George VI-were propelled onto the world stage. The rest is history. Her sometimes gentle, sometimes forceful encouragement of her shy husband, her steadfastness throughout a catastrophic war and her life-long love affair with the British people culminated in the simple national accolade "Queen Mum." Nearly two dozen newly discovered rare color films tell the story of the Queen Mother's most important years, offering fresh insight into the period of her reign as royal consort.