The Real Versailles(2016)

Could you be a courtier to the Sun King at Versailles?

The Real Versailles is a documentary series that explores the true stories behind one of history's most magnificent palaces. Historians Lucy Worsley and Helen Castor examine the lavish court of Louis XIV, uncovering the sex, scandal and political intrigue that defined life at Versailles. Worsley investigates the king's obsession with etiquette, fashion and elaborate feasting, while Castor reveals the ruthless power games Louis orchestrated to consolidate his authority. The series introduces the real people behind the palace's glittering facade: Louis's ambitious brother Philippe, a decorated military commander and openly gay courtier; the women who vied for the king's favour; and the rivals Louis systematically destroyed. During his record-breaking 72-year reign, Louis transformed France into Europe's cultural and artistic centre through sheer force of will. The Real Versailles strips away the romance to show how ambition, cruelty and spectacle built an empire.