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The documentary Royal Family, first broadcast on 21 June 1969, gave audiences an unprecedented view of a year in the private and public life of the Queen and her family. The 110 minute film was shown with a two minute tea break interval, and watched by 23 million people. A co-production with ITV, it was sold around the world and seen by an estimated audience of 350 million.

Camera crews accompanied the Queen on tours of Chile and Brazil, and Prince Charles to Malta and Cambridge. They also shot more than 40 hours of film in Sandringham, Balmoral, Buckingham Palace, Windsor and Holyrood, as well as on the Royal Yacht, the Royal Train and aircraft of the Queen's Flight. The Queen was filmed performing official duties such as receiving the new American ambassador and at her regular meeting with Prime Minister Harold Wilson.

She was also shown holidaying at Sandringham and enjoying Christmas with her family. Producer Richard Cawston said "until we made this film, I really believe that none of them had ever spoken into a microphone anything which had not been carefully prepared."

The film reinforced the popularity of the Royal Family, even as it showed that they did mundane things such as watching television. In revealing their private lives, the programme spurred ever increasing media interest in what went on behind the formal facade.