The historian continues his examination of the British monarchy, from the beginnings of the Tudor dynasty to the English Civil War. He re-examines the Wars of the Roses, fought between the royal houses of York and Lancaster in the 15th century, exploring the disappearance of the 'Princes in the Tower' during Richard III's reign and the rise of Henry VII - who became one of England's most hated monarchs

The historian examines the reign of King Henry VIII, who inherited the throne at the age of 17 and became overwhelmed by a desire for fame. In his search for love and the need for an heir, he divorced his wife Catherine of Aragon to marry his mistress Anne Boleyn - severing England's allegiance to the Pope in Rome and giving him powers no English king had ever exercised before

The historian examines the reigns of Henry VIII's three children, revealing how the king's advice to pursue moderation in matters of religion fell on deaf ears as his son Edward enforced extreme Protestantism on the country, only for eldest daughter Mary to reimpose Catholicism after his death. Elizabeth I initially embraced her father's words, but when Mary Queen of Scots arrived in England, religious tensions rose again

he historian examines the reign of James I, the first king of both England and Scotland. From the outset, the new monarch had little time for Parliament and did what he could to limit its influence. His son Charles I went further, effectively removing the government and ruling alone - but when he needed their help to enforce religious rule on the Scots, the resulting conflict led to two civil wars and the monarch was eventually executed

The series concludes with an analysis of the English Civil War, revealing how the country was temporarily transformed into a republic with the execution of Charles I. The historian considers the nature of Oliver Cromwell's rule and how this key period of history altered British perceptions of the monarchy for ever

Looks at the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, and the reign of Charles II.

Looks at the events of 1688 and its aftermath, when the unpopular Roman Catholic King James II was overthrown and his replacement with the protestant Stuart Mary and her husband William of Orange. Considers how the consequences of this was a curtailing of royal power and the basis for the constitutional monarchy and relation with parliament that exists in Britain to this day.

Looks at the end of the reign of William and Mary, and the changing relationship between Crown and Parliament, and that of Anne and the union with Scotland in 1707 which saw the emergence of Great Britain and how it grew in power.

Looks at the selection and crowning of George I as British monarch in 1714, and the events of his reign and also those of George II and George III. Considers how the breakdown in the relationship between the prime minister William Pitt and George III led to the American War of Independence and the loss of the US colonies.

When, in 1789, the Bastille prison in Paris was stormed and the French Revolution began, few in Britain - least of all King George III, who was recovering from one of his bouts of madness - thought that it would lead to a cataclysmic war with France.

This David Starkey documentary - the last in his long-running series - brings us pretty much up to date with the House of Windsor. Looking back at how the monarchy has survived and strengthened during the last century, the critically acclaimed programme also looks forward to the accession of King Charles III and suggests he might turn out to be one of our most successful monarchs.