The complex relationship between royal brothers Edward VIII and George VI, who were both at the heart of the infamous abdication crisis of 1936, is the subject of this excellent documentary. From British Pathé TV's Royalty Collection.

A documentary short celebrating the life of Louis Braille, his invention of the writing system named after him, and the legacy he has left behind.

An account of the state visit to Britain by the President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, in June 1963. In London he accompanied the Queen on a State drive, visited the Commonwealth Institute, attended a Guildhall luncheon and visited the country.

A little travelogue feature presenting Torbay - new resort along the 20 mile stretch of South Devon coast.

Actuality newsreel of Kaiser Wilhelm II’s visit to London during the 1910 Royal Naval & Military Tournament at Olympia. The film shows the Kaiser’s arrival and attendance at the pageant alongside British royalty, offering a contemporaneous record of imperial ceremony on the eve of the First World War.

Actuality film documenting the funeral of Queen Victoria in February 1901. The footage captures the solemn processions and ceremonies that marked the end of her long reign, offering a rare moving-image record of a major state occasion. Widely circulated internationally, the film reflects both the global reach of British newsreel subjects and the early power of cinema to record historic events.

The death of Joseph Stalin leaves the Soviet Union without a leader. Who will take control and seize power?

Watching Sierra Leone Greets the Queen gives one a flavour of the hectic nature of royal tours; in just one week (from the 25th November to the 1st December 1961) the Queen and Prince Philip covered an exhausting array of sights, zooming around the country to take in the capital city Freetown, Bo, the Guma Dam, digging for diamonds (Sierra Leone’s biggest export), Hangha and observing the iron ore works at Marampa. The visit was politically significant - Sierra Leona had become independent from Britain in April the same year. Colonialism’s influence is felt throughout the film, and not just in the place names (Victoria Park, Queen Elizabeth II Quay) - the ‘day in the life of a Bo schoolboy’ seems not radically different from the British equivalent, while the ‘children’s rally’ consists of boys dressed impractically in boaters and blazers, and girls marching in gymslips.

British Pathé version of the Woomera atomic tests.

Little film showing a few tips on how to present food graciously. The famous husband and wife cooking team, Fanny and John Cradock, are showing some of the ways to serve savouries. The presentation of the food is as important as the food itself.

The airship Hindenburg, arriving from Europe, was being led to its mooring at Lakehurst, New Jersey when suddenly disaster struck. The hydrogen-filled zeppelin ignited, and was almost instantly transformed into an enormous fireball. In less than a minute, the entire ship had been consumed by flames. The Hindenburg explosion marked the end of the budding airship travel industry.

Various shots of the Coronation procession for King George V.

Various glamorous fashions are modeled by two "friends" including hat with large feather trim.

The President had been due to visit twice before, but on both occasions the trip had to be cancelled. The first time was in 1963, the same year as the Commonwealth visit by the President of India. The second cancellation occurred in 1965 when a longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan over the sovereignty of Kashmir boiled over into full-scale war in September of that year. However, as one might expect from a film made for international diplomacy purposes no reference is made to ongoing political problems either at home or abroad. Like the Indian presidential visit of 1963, the film was for screening to domestic audiences (both in the UK and in Pakistan) whose main interest would be in the pomp and ceremony of the visit, and the reception and status afforded to the President by the Queen and royal family.

Hats are modelled, then lingerie.

British Pathé bringing the news of King Alexander's death.

Funny story about short sighted cats being given glasses.

A newsreel shows General Harrington receives Ismet Pasha at Istanbul.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh undertook an official visit to the region in February 1966, as documented in this film. The destinations on this month long excursion included: British Guiana; Trinidad and Tobago; Grenada; St. Vincent; Barbados; St. Lucia; Dominica; Montserrat; Antigua; St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla; Tortola (Virgin Islands); the Bahamas; Jamaica. This rich and detailed Technicolor travelogue was the only film authorised by the Palace. Strict instructions were given prior to the production being given the green light, most notably that the royals could only be filmed when ‘engaged in a public function’. Unlike the more relaxed footage or interviews you might see with the royals now the film is visually very official in tone.

A Camera Interview with the famous French painter - Gustave Brisgand.