How to watch What is the Monarchy for? on BBC iPlayer (it’s *FREE*)

Watch What is the Monarchy for? for free on BBC (UK restricted)
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What is the Monarchy for? premieres on BBC One & BBC iPlayer on 2 December

What is the Monarchy for? is David Dimbleby’s three-part investigation into British royalty in 2025; how far will King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate go to maintain public support? And how does the Royal Family generate money.

It’s all fascinating stuff – from how weddings, funerals and jubilees feed into the Royals’ brand. Featuring Prime Ministers such as David Cameron, What is the Monarchy for? is well worth watching – especially if you are from outside the UK and have questions about the institution at the heart of British life.

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2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you’re visiting the US and want to watch your free BBC iPlayer stream, you’d select ‘United Kingdom’.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to BBC iPlayer, sign in, and watch What is the Monarchy for? for free.

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Episode 1 (Airs 2 Dec, 2025)
With access to political players and royal insiders, broadcaster David Dimbleby asks: how much power does the monarch really have – and is it more than we tend to think?

▶︎ Episode 2 (Airs 9 Dec, 2025)
Over the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the Windsors amassed extraordinary private wealth without us noticing. How did they do it? David Dimbleby shines a light on the secrets of royal money.

▶︎ Episode 3 (Airs 16 Dec, 2025)
In an episode featuring shocking scandals and startling interviews, David Dimbleby asks how far the royals will go to maintain public support – and can they succeed?

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