Historic Royal Premiere at Windsor Castle for King's Documentary
In a groundbreaking moment for the British monarchy, King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted the first film premiere ever to be held at a royal palace on Wednesday evening. The historic event took place at Windsor Castle, marking a significant departure from traditional royal engagements and showcasing the monarch's commitment to environmental advocacy through his new documentary.
A Personal Exploration of Environmental Philosophy
The documentary, titled Finding Harmony: A King's Vision, offers viewers an intimate look at King Charles's lifelong dedication to environmental causes. Filmed over seven months last year, the film chronicles the 77-year-old monarch's decades of activism and the personal philosophy that has guided his environmental work. The documentary is scheduled for release on Amazon Prime Video next month, reaching audiences in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
In the film, King Charles expresses his deep concern about the current environmental crisis, stating that humanity is "actually destroying our means to survival" and that the situation is "rapidly going backwards." Despite facing criticism throughout his life for his environmental views, the King remains steadfast in his commitment, declaring that he "wasn't going to be diverted" from his longstanding campaigning.
Revealing Personal Moments and Family Connections
The documentary provides rare glimpses into the King's personal life, including scenes of him collecting eggs from his chickens at their "Cluckingham Palace" coop on his Highgrove estate. Viewers will also learn about his culinary preferences, with the King declaring "red Duke of Yorks" as the superior variety for his beloved crispy baked potatoes.
Family connections feature throughout the film, with archive footage showing a young Duke of Sussex being taught how to fish by his father at Balmoral. The Prince of Wales appears as a small child with Charles at Highgrove, and later as a young man visiting a herd of cows with his father in 2004. Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis make brief appearances in footage from the King's coronation, while the late Queen Elizabeth II is shown filming a young Charles in home movies.
Addressing Past Criticism and Looking Forward
Narrated by acclaimed actor Kate Winslet, the documentary addresses the criticism King Charles faced after his 1986 television interview where he revealed he talks to plants. Winslet recounts how this comment "haunted" the then-Prince of Wales, while Ian Skelly, co-author of the King's 2010 book Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, describes how "those criticisms really upset him" and that he was "treated very unfairly."
Despite these challenges, the King maintains a hopeful outlook, expressing his wish that "by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil" there will be greater awareness of the "need to bring things back together again." He emphasizes that the environmental crisis extends beyond climate change to include biodiversity loss, stating that "we're actually destroying our means of survival, all the time."
A New Approach to Royal Documentaries
A spokesperson for the King described the film as "not a conventional royal documentary," noting that "there are no golden carriages here; no glittering crowns or crimson robes." Instead, the documentary offers "a deeply personal exploration of ideas that have shaped His Majesty's life and work: the interconnectedness of all things, the wisdom of traditional knowledge, and the belief that we can build a future that works in partnership with nature rather than against it."
The spokesperson added that the film "sets a new high watermark for royal documentaries" and represents the King's first documentary collaboration with a streaming platform. This contrasts with the Duke of Sussex's deal with Netflix, which produced the controversial series Harry & Meghan, and Amazon's previous dramatised retelling of Prince Andrew's Newsnight interview in A Very Royal Scandal.
The Harmony Philosophy in Practice
The documentary explores the origins and evolution of the King's "harmony" philosophy, which he first outlined in his 2010 book. To coincide with the film's release, HarperCollins will republish the book in March. The film also showcases how The King's Foundation, headquartered at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, implements this philosophy through projects focusing on community regeneration, sustainable textiles, and traditional skills.
Buckingham Palace believes this premiere marks the first time a global movie premiere has been held at a royal residence, representing a significant moment in the modernisation of royal engagements. Finding Harmony: A King's Vision will be available on Prime Video from 6 February, offering audiences worldwide an unprecedented look at the monarch's environmental vision and personal philosophy.
