British Movietone News

In the middle of a six-week tour of the Indian sub-continent between January and March 1961, the Queen and Prince Philip visited Pakistan and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

Britain and Turkey had not always enjoyed the ‘special’ friendship referred to in the commentary. Their armies were on opposing sides in the First World War and there had been disagreementt over the future of Cyprus in the run up to the settlement of 1960. In the 1960s relations improved and this reciprocal tour (the President of Turkey, Cevdet Sunay, had paid a state visit to the United Kingdom in November 1967) was regarded as a milestone in the bilateral alliance between the two countries. The camera affords the viewer a prime vantage point by which to marvel at the splendour of the pageantry and contemplate every nuance of gesture and sartorial detail. As we linger on the bejewelled Queen waiting patiently at the British Embassy in Ankara to greet her guests we wonder what it might be like to be in her shoes.

Produced by British Movietone for “Her Majesty’s Central Office of Information”, Royal Destiny traces Queen Elizabeth II’s young life up to her ascension to the throne.

Highlights from the Farnborough Airshow of 1952.

Documentary featuring aircraft from the 1953 Farnborough Airshow.

'Royal Road' takes a look at both the public-facing activities of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) during the Second World War, as well as a showing a glimpse of the royal family's private life in the gardens at Windsor.

Highlights from the 1949 Farnborough Air Show.

A brief review of the 1955 Farnborough Air Show.

A BAFTA award nominated documentary investigating the background behind the disturbances in Ulster; the history of the province and the position held by the army in its task of maintaining peace.

Brief summary of the Berlin airlift taken from newsreel material.

This film supplements footage from "the first colour newsreel" with other colour scenes from the day to create "the first specially edited colour feature in screen journalism". Included on the BFI DVD "A Royal Occasion".

A short documentary made for the British government covering the Allied war effort in Europe in the year leading up to D-Day. Part of a series that continues to V-E Day.