Royals on the Frontline

The first episode focuses on Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth. Featuring extracts from an interview with Prince Philip, we examine the pivotal events of his illustrious career in the navy. We reveal his heroic role in the fierce Battle of Cape Matapan, hunting enemy ships in the dead of night and uncover an act of courage and ingenuity that baffled German bombers to save dozens of lives. Prince Philip suffered severe disappointment as his military career came to an end with the death of George VI, when Elizabeth took the throne. Elizabeth has her own fascinating history with the military. In 1945, she defied her father's wishes and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service to train as a mechanic and truck driver. Here, she mixed with young people from ordinary backgrounds and gained an incredible insight into ‘normal' life.

The second episode jumps forwards into the turbulent military careers of Princes Andrew and Edward. We discuss how Andrew nobly used his helicopter as a missile decoy during the Falklands war, luring Exocet's away from the vessels of the British Task Force. He tells us honestly what it's really like to confront your own mortality. Contrarily, Prince Edward hits the headlines when he dramatically quits his marine training, ending a century- long tradition of princes touring with the military. In contrast to media reports at the time, Prince Edward was thriving on the course, so we ask – why the sudden departure?

The final episode delves into the highs and lows of Prince Harry and Prince William's roles in the armed forces. With extracts from an interview with Prince Harry – he discusses his anger when he is forced to pull out of secret deployment in Afghanistan after a newspaper blows his cover, plus there is unique footage of the Prince in the warzone. Prince William suffers even greater frustration as he is refused permission to fly at all. But both princes pick themselves up: Harry embarked on a glittering, decade-long military career culminating in commanding an Apache helicopter and William's military training came in handy as he rescued a former soldier while working with the Air Ambulance. And, with the birth of William's children, the focus shifts what the future holds for the captivating relationship between the military and the Royals.