15 Aug '11

“Your Royal Highness, thank you for talking to me today, I know you’re a very busy man,” Martin snivels, before asking Charles what it is about Dumfries House that’s so special to him. Charles emits his aristocratic burble.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“Dumfries House was the main attraction, an 18^th century county house built by the 5^th Earl of Dumfries to attract a second wife.”
Matt Baylis, The Express

“Martin and his script-writers should have delved further into its history – as Luxton, Balding and Sergeant did on their respective projects. Instead, here we had only cursory glances at beautiful rooms, rather than rich narrative. This promoted ornamentalism above history, which naturally made the story less compelling.”
Amol Rajan, The Independent

“Yes, it’s a romp, a potboiler. But there’s a bit more to it than whey-hey, stick this in him, and that in her, pass the wine, roast the suckling pig, rig the election and bring on the girls. It’s not just Carry on up the Tiber. There’s more thought to this version, and attention to character. And Irons is proper.”
Sam Wollaston, The Guardian

“It is better than The Tudors, but is similarly unambitious, preferring to revel in the legends surrounding its subject rather than interrogate them. The plot is busy, the psychology basic. It’s fun but it’s nonsense. Enjoy with a large glass of Chianti, and always watch in moderation.”
Andrew Billen, The Times

“It felt rather old-fashioned with its rousing soundtrack, slow, stunning camerawork and mellifluous voiceover. It was more like a long, sensual bath than a lecture on whales.”
Matt Baylis, The Express

“The focus was split between the beasts of the big blue, and those devoted cameramen who bought us pictures of them in daring raids on their territory.”
Amol Rajan, The Independent