The Real Versailles (2016)

As BBC Two premieres its lavish new drama set in the sumptuous surroundings of Versailles, Lucy Worsley and Helen Castor tell the real-life stories behind one of the world's grandest buildings. They reveal the colourful world of sex, drama and intrigue that Louis XIV and his courtiers inhabited. Lucy untangles Louis's complex world of court etiquette, fashion and feasting, while Helen delves into the archives and unpicks the Machiavellian world of court politics that Louis created. We meet the people behind the on-screen characters and discover what drove Louis to glorify his reign on a scale unmatched by any previous monarch, examine the tension between Louis and his brother Philippe, a battle hero and overt homosexual, and they meet the coterie of women who competed for Louis's attention. We see that Louis was ruthless in his pursuit of glory and succeeded in defeating his enemies. In his record-breaking 72-year reign, France became renowned for its culture and sophistication.

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The Real Versailles

Casting arrow_drop_down

Lucy Worsley
Lucy Worsley
as Presenter
Helen Castor
Helen Castor
as Presenter
James Daybell
James Daybell
as Participant
Mark Wallis
Mark Wallis
as Participant
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Crew arrow_drop_down

Edward Capes
Edward Capes
Sound Recordist
Catherine Donohoe
Catherine Donohoe
Production Coordinator
Rosie Schellenberg
Rosie Schellenberg
Producer
Eamon Hardy
Eamon Hardy
Executive Producer
Rosie Schellenberg
Rosie Schellenberg
Director
Evih Efue
Evih Efue
Production Manager
Jim Petersen
Jim Petersen
Director of Photography
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