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The Windsors is a spoof comedy on the Royal Family that’s long overdue and, at times, has flashes of brilliance harking back to Spitting Image in its hey-day, with plenty of appropriate gurning from Harry Enfield as Prince Charles and Hugh Skinner as Wills, the actor having made me split my sides in W1A as intern Will. Ok, cool…
In the first two episodes, Charles is still wanting to take over the throne, with Camilla (a devilish Haydn Gwynne) wanting it all the more, and him frequently ignoring her because he’s more engaged with his Duchy biscuits that are “made by seven-year-old children with rickets”. Kate (Louise Ford – Crashing) is the *very* commoner, with a gypsy background, Pippa (Morgana Robinson) and her “fantastic arse” reminding Kate about the time she fought 246 Rottweilers in Morrisons car park.
Harry (Richard Goulding – Fresh Meat) is always sha -gging away, Fergie (Katy Wix) is constantly ligging free drinks, Wills and Kate’s children are “The People’s Babies”, while Beatrice (Ellie White) and Eugenie (Celeste Dring) are finally waking up to the realisation that they have to get jobs. They’d go into work for themselves, if only they could figure out what their talents are…
The Windsors is all overplayed big-time, on purpose, and comes across brilliantly. It works when you have a cast who’ve previously worked well together, for example, Matthew Cottle and Katy Wix in Fried, and Ellie White and Morgana Robinson in House of Fools.
In a series running six episodes, I’ve seen the first three so far and, while a lot of the apparent plotlines are brief soujourns to move the show along without being too serious, the programme moves along at quite a pace, so even if one sketch in the story doesn’t quite work, there’s soon to be one that does.
The Windsors starts tonight on Channel 4 at 10pm in a double-bill and continues with single episodes each Friday at the same time. There’s no release date yet known for the Blu-ray and DVD, but once aired, the show will be available to view on All4. Also, click on the cast image for the full-size version.
Episode 1 and 2 Score: 7/10 (double-bill)
Director: Adam Miller
Producer: Izzy Mant
Creators/Writers: George Jeffrie and Bert Tyler-Moore
Prince Charles: Harry Enfield
Prince Wills, Duke of Cambridge: Hugh Skinner
Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall: Haydn Gwynne
Kate: Louise Ford
Pippa: Morgana Robinson
Harry: Richard Goulding
Fergie: Katy Wix
Beatrice: Ellie White
Eugenie: Celeste Dring
Prince Edward: Matthew Cottle
Cafe customer: Gordon Kennedy
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.