DYNASTY: The Royal Family’s Most Challenging Year

No one has ever waited longer to become monarch than Prince Charles. But who is Prince Charles, and how has his life in the shadows of nearly everyone close to him—his mother, his ex-wife, his sons—impacted who he is today? What can we even expect from King Charles? To understand these questions is to understand the man who has seemingly always played second fiddle in the Windsor P.R. machine. We’ll examine the ways in which Charles has reinvented his image and speculate on what his role and power within the firm mean for the future of the monarchy.

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The sovereign brand is a powerful thing—alluring to those outside, and even intoxicating to those inside. But when royals trade on the family business for personal gain, the whole family takes a hit. This episode will focus on how Prince Andrew’s alleged abuses affected the monarchy, and what the lasting repercussions may be.

For more DYNASTY, visit VF.com/dynasty.

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The British royal family is sometimes referred to as “The Firm” – the time-honored, drama-tested machinery that refines, defines and helps control the family’s public image. The inner forces are shadowy—perhaps that’s what led King George VI to coin the phrase in the first place even to the family’s highest-profile members. So how exactly does The Firm work, and who is in it?  

For more Dynasty, visit VF.com/dynasty.

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When it comes to the Windsors and the press, who really holds the power? From Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson’s earth-shattering scandal to revealing TV confessions from Diana and, later, Prince Andrew, why has the royal family always been so afraid of, and prone to, scandal? We’ll investigate the ongoing tug-of-war between Fleet Street and its fetishized family, and how that has played out for the royals who dare try to reset the balance. 

For more DYNASTY, visit VF.com/dynasty.

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This episode will explore the role the Commonwealth plays in the monarchy—and how the perspective of its role in the world is quickly shifting. We’ll also examine the effect that the Sussexes’ departure had on the crown’s relationship with the other 53 Commonwealth countries, and how the royals may need to readjust if they want the Commonwealth to survive.

For more DYNASTY, visit VF.com/dynasty.

For a transcript of this episode, please follow this link.

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Motherhood is far from simple, but motherhood within the context and confines of a monarchy comes with its own set of challenges. From the queen to Princess Diana to the Duchess of Sussex, royal mothers have had to balance their maternal instincts with centuries of tradition. This episode explores the disparate ways Meghan, Kate, and the generations before them have entered into and engaged with motherhood—and how the modern royals have begun to change the narrative.

For more DYNASTY, visit VF.com/dynasty.

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Enter Meghan Markle: an activist and philanthropist, an American actress, and biracial woman—in short, an outsider to the Firm. Why did Meghan’s independence and identity conflict with the royals—and undeniable aspects of the monarchy’s long history—and how did she carve out her own center of power amid the force of her in-laws?

For more Dynasty, visit VF.com/dynasty.

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Prince Harry has never been a stranger to headlines, but nothing compares to the media firestorm in early 2020 when the future king’s younger son stepped back from his royal duties. What caused Harry to reject royal tradition and the power of the Windsors in favor of a different kind of life with Meghan? And how has his public discussion of mental health struggles—both his own and for all people—helped him take control of his destiny?

For more DYNASTY, visit VF.com/dynasty.

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Kate and William’s epic wedding on April 29, 2011, was just one more fairy-tale scene in one of the 21st century’s most famous love stories—a love story that is important not to the media world and its rabid consumers, but to the future of a dynasty reeling from scandal and inner turmoil. This episode will explore Kate and William’s long courtship, rare rocky moments, and precisely what it will mean for Kate to be the first “commoner queen.”

For more DYNASTY, visit VF.com/dynasty.

For a transcript of this episode, please follow this link.

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