Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers
Neutrino: Hunting the Ghost Particle
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Princes Philip and William were driving through rural Scotland one day when they spotted some youngsters on a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award trip.
Philip stopped the car, wound down the window, and asked how they were getting on. ‘Jog on, grandpa,’ is the polite version of their reply.
According to William, the Duke turned to his fellow passengers and said with a smile: ‘The youth of today.’
That was one of the better stories in Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers (BBC1).
Originally planned to mark Philip’s 100th birthday, it made a fitting memorial instead.
Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers (BBC1) was originally planned to mark Philip’s 100th birthday, but made a fitting memorial instead
He’d probably have hated it: he famously never liked a fuss. But we got a rounded portrait of the man described by his granddaughter Lady Louise Windsor as ‘one of the most interesting people I have ever met’.
We were reminded of his difficult childhood, his naval career, the way he carved a Royal role for himself, his environmental campaigning, his interest in books, flying and cookery, all illustrated with archive material and family cine footage.
We also discovered that he was a fan of The Hairy Bikers, and that he played a practical joke on his grandchildren which involved slamming an open tube of mustard, held between their hands, so that the mustard shot out of the tube and hit the ceiling.
Her Majesty was not amused.
It was left to Princess Anne to deal with his prickly reputation: ‘Some people say he could be a bit sharp, but I always thought he was never cruel.’
Princes Philip and William were driving through rural Scotland one day when they spotted some youngsters on a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award trip. Philip stopped the car, wound down the window, and asked how they were getting on, according to William
It was left to Princess Anne to deal with Prince Philip’s prickly reputation: ‘Some people say he could be a bit sharp, but I always thought he was never cruel’
Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers (BBC1) was originally planned to mark Philip’s 100th birthday, but made a fitting memorial instead
This was also an opportunity to see members of the Royal Family talking informally. Charles was very red in the face, and couldn’t seem to sit still.
He recalled playing football, with the Duke bellowing from the sidelines: ‘Stop scratching your backside — get up!’
Was Charles the maestro of the midfield, or a solid central defender? And was he playing for Palace at the time? The nation demands answers.
Camilla always looks as if she’s about to share a saucy secret, while Harry was back to his jolly and mischievous self. Prince Edward, once an object of ridicule, now appears very at ease with the world.
And Prince Andrew? After his recent experience of being interviewed by the BBC, let’s just say it was a slight surprise to see him at all.
This was also an opportunity to see members of the Royal Family talking informally. Charles was very red in the face, and couldn’t seem to sit still
Prince Harry impersonated the Queen in the programme, recalling Her Majesty saying ‘Oh Philip!’
Prince Harry was back to his jolly and mischievous self as he recalled details of his grandfather Prince Philip’s life
Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall were among the other members of the Royal family to sit down of the programme
Princess Beatrice (left) and Prince Ludwig of Baden (right) also sat down for interviews for Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers
Neutrino: Hunting The Ghost Particle (BBC4) was about the tiny and complex world of atomic particles, and who’d have guessed it could be so gripping?
It seems there are three types of neutrino, an atomic particle described by an Oxford University professor as ‘as near to nothing as you can imagine’.
Now physicists are trying to discover a fourth type, which could apparently lead to the discovery of a universe we have never seen before.
Yet it turns out that particle physics used to be even more dramatic. The story of Italian physicist Bruno Pontecorvo was a real-life Cold War spy drama.
He left Italy for England when the fascists came to power, but disappeared without trace in 1950 and wasn’t seen again for five years.
It was eventually revealed that he’d defected to the Soviet Union, encouraged by British intelligence officer double agent Kim Philby.
At one point, Pontecorvo, an expert on neutrinos, was driven across Russia to Moscow while hidden in the boot of a car.
Who needs spy drama when real-life science is just as thrilling?
Neutrino: Hunting The Ghost Particle (BBC4) was about the tiny and complex world of atomic particles, and who’d have guessed it could be so gripping?
It seems there are three types of neutrino, an atomic particle described by an Oxford University professor as ‘as near to nothing as you can imagine’