Plot Synopsis

Written and presented by Steve Hewlett and told through the first-hand testimony of those who were there, REINVENTING THE ROYALS is a two-part documentary about the 20-year battle between the monarchy and the media -- the first family and the fourth estate -- over personal privacy and public image. The series opens by examining how, after the tragic death of Princess Diana, Prince Charles hired a new type of royal press advisor in the form of spin doctor Mark Bolland. Then director of the Press Complaints Commission, Bolland got to work rebuilding Prince Charles's public image. His main challenge was to create a degree of public acceptance for the by now non-negotiable Camilla Parker Bowles, but his controversial methods were not popular amongst other royals and courtiers. The final episode looks at how the experience of growing up in the media spotlight has affected Princes William and Harry, and their attitudes to the press and media. Seismic events like the phone-hacking scandal -- which started with the royal princes -- and the impact of the Leveson Inquiry that followed have tipped the balance of power in their favor. Ovation aired the U.S. premiere of REINVENTING THE ROYALS on Friday, January 1, 2016 from 8-10pm ET/5-7pm PT, showing both episodes back to back.