Lucy Worsley
I was introduced to Lucy Worsley through her documentary Harlots, Housewives, and Heroines, and try to watch her every chance I get. She would be an excellent addition to the classroom library whether it's on DVD or live streaming. I'm thrilled PBS is showing her royal documentaries so American audiences can get to know her. She is an excellent narrator and storyteller. She also throws herself into dressing up in period costumes.
Tudor History
Secrets of the Six Wives: Amazon (3:00:00)
Lucy Worsley dives headfirst into Tudor Court Life as she explores the women behind Henry VIII. She explores the early marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, their hard divorce; his relationship with Anne Boleyn; the birth of his son by Jane Seymour; the smarts of Anne of Cleves; Catherine Howard, his teenage bride; and finally Catherine Parr, a nurse with her convictions on religion. *Recommended for a high school history classroom and independent study students.*
Twelve Days of Tudor Christmas: Amazon (55:00)
Lucy Worsley celebrates Christmas like a king, as in King Henry VIII. She goes through each day of the 12 Days of Christmas partying like a Tudor. Worsley explores how Christmas was celebrated in the Tudor period. Tudor and culinary historians come together to recreate the 12 Days of Christmas as it was celebrated in the Tudor Court. This is a fascinating look at how Christmas was celebrated in the past. *Recommended for a high school classroom.*
Royal History
Tales of the Royal Wardrobe: Amazon (1:00:00)
Lucy Worsley explores Royals and what they wore and how royal fashion and an impact on how the people looked at them. She starts with Elizabeth I and ends with Elizabeth II. Royal fashion has changed over the centuries and it was not just the Queens shaping fashion. Kings also had their say in the fashion world. Worsley uses primary sources and artifacts to narrate her documentary. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Tales of the Royal Bedchamber: Amazon (1:00:00)
Lucy Worsley explores what happens in the royal bedchamber. It was once a public place where the people could talk politics with the king or queen but over the centuries turned into a private sanctuary for royals. Worsley throws herself into the world of the royal bedchamber. This documentary was a fascinating look at what happened in the royal bedchamber. She brings out several artifacts to tell the bed chambers story. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Royal Myths and Secrets: Amazon (2:42:00)
Lucy Worsley explores the myths surrounding Elizabeth I, Queen Anne, and Queen Marie Antoinette. History has been kind to some of these women while harsh to others. In the next series, Lucy Worsley explores the myths surrounding the Regency, French Revolution, and the Russian Revolution. These particular documentaries were particularly eye-opening to the myths that have come down through history. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Empire of Tsars: Romanov Russia: Amazon Prime (3:00:00)
Lucy Worsley takes a tour of Russia during the Romanov Period, introducing us to Peter the Great, Catherine II, and the final Tsar Nicholas II. She explores the changes that were under the rule of Peter the Great, the assassination of Tsar Alexander II what how Russian Tsars kept the autocracy going while other monarchies were shifting towards democracy. In true Lucy style, she dresses in period costumes to narrate the documentary. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Royal Palace Secrets: Amazon (57:00)
Explore the palaces like never before with Lucy Worsley. Due to COVID, these historic royal palaces were closed to the public. So this was a lifetime opportunity to create this documentary while they were closed to the public! She tours Hampton Court, the Tower of London, and Kensington Palace, telling their tales and dressing in period costumes. She breathes new life into the stories of these palaces. *Recommended for research purposes or a fun day.*
Victoria and Albert: The Wedding: Amazon (2:00:00)
Lucy Worsley and several historians restage the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, each taking a piece of the ceremony such as the music, fashion, the placement of the guest, and the wedding breakfast. One historian looks at the food. Another recreates the wedding dress and dresses the guests at the wedding. It is an intimate look at the wedding that changed the course of history. *Highly recommended for a history class and a home economics class.*
The Real Versailles - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley teams up with Helen Castor to explore the history of the Versailles Palace and King Louis XIV. This is a fascinating look at Versailles. They use clips from the series Versailles to help further the story of the palace. Why did King Louis XIV build this palace? What was its purpose? What was the purpose of the Court Etiquette? The ladies also explore the people that made Versailles home. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Queen Victoria: My Musical Britain - Video No Longer Available
Under the reign of Queen Victoria, Britain was an Imperial superpower. She helped modernize the British monarchy. Lucy Worsley theorizes that it was due to music. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert shared a love of music. Together they built music college and music halls. Worsley explores the impact of music on Queen Victoria and how that shaped British music for the future. Queen Victoria’s reign led to a revival of British music. *Highly recommended for a choir or music class or independent students.*
Lucy Worsley’s The First Georgians The German Kings Who Made Britain - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley explores the Georges, King George I, King George II, and King George III of England. Prince George of Hannover and his mother Sophia were the chosen heirs to the English Throne. They were Germans, descendants of English Kings, and more importantly they were Protestant. They would transform English history. *If you can find it, this is an excellent documentary to show in a classroom. The episode on George III would be good to show in an American History class.*
General History
A Very British Murder: AmazonPrime (3:00:00)
Lucy Worsley explores the history of the British interest in murder. She starts with the second half of the 19th Century, discusses the Victorian's interest in murder, and finally the Edwardian obsession with murder. Murder eventually became something brought into the home through books and writing. Worsley provides perfect narration for this series and seems to enjoy narrating the tale of British murder. *Recommend the final episode for an English class. Recommended for research purposes.*
Jane Austen: Behind Closed Doors: YouTube (58:45)
Lucy explores the houses that inspired Jane Austen and her writing. She starts with Austen’s childhood home and concludes with the home she died in. Worsley goes to the places that had an impact on Austen’s writing and life. She even spends the night in a house that Austen lived in. It is a fascinating look at Jane Austen, her life, and the impact of her writing. *Highly recommended for both a history classroom and an English classroom.*
A Very British Romance - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley explores the history of British Romance and its impact on society over a two-hundred-year period. She kicks off the series exploring the Georgian period, the rules of courtship were being changed. Then goes into the 19th Century discussing Jane Austen and how there was more freedom to romance. Finally, Worsley talks about how romance changed in the modern age. *Episodes 1 and 2 would are recommended for an English class.*
If Walls Could Talk: Episode 1 (58:59) Episode 2 (58:56) Episode 3 (59:01) Episode 4 (58:47)
Worsley explores the history of the home through its four rooms: Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom, and Living room. She takes us on how each room developed historically and what changes have been made in the modern period. She even makes a working model of the toilet Sir John Harrington invented in order to show that it worked, gets scolded by a cook for not properly taking care of a stove and gets her hair done in a 1920's style before taking a bath. *Highly recommended for history and home building classroom.*
Elegance and Decadence: History of the Regency - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley narrates the Regency Period, explaining the Prince Regent's complicated relationship with his father and Napoleon as well as Jane Austen and the changes England underwent during this period. The Regency started because the Prince Regent took the reigns of power. It was a golden age of writing and satire. It aired in 2011 and marked the start of the 200th Anniversary of the Regency. *Highly recommended for a history class.*
True History of English Food - YouTube (58:57)
Lucy Worsley explores the history of English food. She explores the life of Dorothy Hartley, an early English historian. She walked the English countryside and documented the world she inhabited. She wrote a 600-word book about food in England. She wrote about food preparation, cooking techniques, and illustrated the books. Worsley talks with the people who knew Hartley and prepares the dishes Dorothy knew. *Highly recommended for a foods class. Recommend filler when there is a substitute teacher in the room.*
Reins of Power - YouTube (59:00)
Lucy Worsley goes through the history of Horse Dancing and how horsemanship related to kingship. If a king could control a horse, then he could control the kingdom. She learns to ride and horse dancing to take part in a performance. Worsley talks about how current royals still work with horses. It is an interesting documentary and watching Lucy learn to ride a horse is a delight. Worsley wrote a paper on the Duke of Cavendish and his love of horses and you see that in the documentary. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Blitz Spirit - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley explores the history of the Blitz. She tells the story of six people who lived and worked to keep Britians safe during the Blitz. The British tried to prepare for war as best as they could. Everyone put in the effort to prepare for war. She explores the power of the press during the Blitz and how the press was tied to the military. The press was to keep the people’s spirits up. Worsley is an excellent storyteller on this subject. *Highly recommended for a high school history classroom.*
Secrets of the Six Wives: Amazon (3:00:00)
Lucy Worsley dives headfirst into Tudor Court Life as she explores the women behind Henry VIII. She explores the early marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon, their hard divorce; his relationship with Anne Boleyn; the birth of his son by Jane Seymour; the smarts of Anne of Cleves; Catherine Howard, his teenage bride; and finally Catherine Parr, a nurse with her convictions on religion. *Recommended for a high school history classroom and independent study students.*
Twelve Days of Tudor Christmas: Amazon (55:00)
Lucy Worsley celebrates Christmas like a king, as in King Henry VIII. She goes through each day of the 12 Days of Christmas partying like a Tudor. Worsley explores how Christmas was celebrated in the Tudor period. Tudor and culinary historians come together to recreate the 12 Days of Christmas as it was celebrated in the Tudor Court. This is a fascinating look at how Christmas was celebrated in the past. *Recommended for a high school classroom.*
Royal History
Tales of the Royal Wardrobe: Amazon (1:00:00)
Lucy Worsley explores Royals and what they wore and how royal fashion and an impact on how the people looked at them. She starts with Elizabeth I and ends with Elizabeth II. Royal fashion has changed over the centuries and it was not just the Queens shaping fashion. Kings also had their say in the fashion world. Worsley uses primary sources and artifacts to narrate her documentary. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Tales of the Royal Bedchamber: Amazon (1:00:00)
Lucy Worsley explores what happens in the royal bedchamber. It was once a public place where the people could talk politics with the king or queen but over the centuries turned into a private sanctuary for royals. Worsley throws herself into the world of the royal bedchamber. This documentary was a fascinating look at what happened in the royal bedchamber. She brings out several artifacts to tell the bed chambers story. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Royal Myths and Secrets: Amazon (2:42:00)
Lucy Worsley explores the myths surrounding Elizabeth I, Queen Anne, and Queen Marie Antoinette. History has been kind to some of these women while harsh to others. In the next series, Lucy Worsley explores the myths surrounding the Regency, French Revolution, and the Russian Revolution. These particular documentaries were particularly eye-opening to the myths that have come down through history. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Empire of Tsars: Romanov Russia: Amazon Prime (3:00:00)
Lucy Worsley takes a tour of Russia during the Romanov Period, introducing us to Peter the Great, Catherine II, and the final Tsar Nicholas II. She explores the changes that were under the rule of Peter the Great, the assassination of Tsar Alexander II what how Russian Tsars kept the autocracy going while other monarchies were shifting towards democracy. In true Lucy style, she dresses in period costumes to narrate the documentary. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Royal Palace Secrets: Amazon (57:00)
Explore the palaces like never before with Lucy Worsley. Due to COVID, these historic royal palaces were closed to the public. So this was a lifetime opportunity to create this documentary while they were closed to the public! She tours Hampton Court, the Tower of London, and Kensington Palace, telling their tales and dressing in period costumes. She breathes new life into the stories of these palaces. *Recommended for research purposes or a fun day.*
Victoria and Albert: The Wedding: Amazon (2:00:00)
Lucy Worsley and several historians restage the wedding of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, each taking a piece of the ceremony such as the music, fashion, the placement of the guest, and the wedding breakfast. One historian looks at the food. Another recreates the wedding dress and dresses the guests at the wedding. It is an intimate look at the wedding that changed the course of history. *Highly recommended for a history class and a home economics class.*
The Real Versailles - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley teams up with Helen Castor to explore the history of the Versailles Palace and King Louis XIV. This is a fascinating look at Versailles. They use clips from the series Versailles to help further the story of the palace. Why did King Louis XIV build this palace? What was its purpose? What was the purpose of the Court Etiquette? The ladies also explore the people that made Versailles home. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Queen Victoria: My Musical Britain - Video No Longer Available
Under the reign of Queen Victoria, Britain was an Imperial superpower. She helped modernize the British monarchy. Lucy Worsley theorizes that it was due to music. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert shared a love of music. Together they built music college and music halls. Worsley explores the impact of music on Queen Victoria and how that shaped British music for the future. Queen Victoria’s reign led to a revival of British music. *Highly recommended for a choir or music class or independent students.*
Lucy Worsley’s The First Georgians The German Kings Who Made Britain - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley explores the Georges, King George I, King George II, and King George III of England. Prince George of Hannover and his mother Sophia were the chosen heirs to the English Throne. They were Germans, descendants of English Kings, and more importantly they were Protestant. They would transform English history. *If you can find it, this is an excellent documentary to show in a classroom. The episode on George III would be good to show in an American History class.*
General History
A Very British Murder: AmazonPrime (3:00:00)
Lucy Worsley explores the history of the British interest in murder. She starts with the second half of the 19th Century, discusses the Victorian's interest in murder, and finally the Edwardian obsession with murder. Murder eventually became something brought into the home through books and writing. Worsley provides perfect narration for this series and seems to enjoy narrating the tale of British murder. *Recommend the final episode for an English class. Recommended for research purposes.*
Jane Austen: Behind Closed Doors: YouTube (58:45)
Lucy explores the houses that inspired Jane Austen and her writing. She starts with Austen’s childhood home and concludes with the home she died in. Worsley goes to the places that had an impact on Austen’s writing and life. She even spends the night in a house that Austen lived in. It is a fascinating look at Jane Austen, her life, and the impact of her writing. *Highly recommended for both a history classroom and an English classroom.*
A Very British Romance - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley explores the history of British Romance and its impact on society over a two-hundred-year period. She kicks off the series exploring the Georgian period, the rules of courtship were being changed. Then goes into the 19th Century discussing Jane Austen and how there was more freedom to romance. Finally, Worsley talks about how romance changed in the modern age. *Episodes 1 and 2 would are recommended for an English class.*
If Walls Could Talk: Episode 1 (58:59) Episode 2 (58:56) Episode 3 (59:01) Episode 4 (58:47)
Worsley explores the history of the home through its four rooms: Kitchen, Bathroom, Bedroom, and Living room. She takes us on how each room developed historically and what changes have been made in the modern period. She even makes a working model of the toilet Sir John Harrington invented in order to show that it worked, gets scolded by a cook for not properly taking care of a stove and gets her hair done in a 1920's style before taking a bath. *Highly recommended for history and home building classroom.*
Elegance and Decadence: History of the Regency - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley narrates the Regency Period, explaining the Prince Regent's complicated relationship with his father and Napoleon as well as Jane Austen and the changes England underwent during this period. The Regency started because the Prince Regent took the reigns of power. It was a golden age of writing and satire. It aired in 2011 and marked the start of the 200th Anniversary of the Regency. *Highly recommended for a history class.*
True History of English Food - YouTube (58:57)
Lucy Worsley explores the history of English food. She explores the life of Dorothy Hartley, an early English historian. She walked the English countryside and documented the world she inhabited. She wrote a 600-word book about food in England. She wrote about food preparation, cooking techniques, and illustrated the books. Worsley talks with the people who knew Hartley and prepares the dishes Dorothy knew. *Highly recommended for a foods class. Recommend filler when there is a substitute teacher in the room.*
Reins of Power - YouTube (59:00)
Lucy Worsley goes through the history of Horse Dancing and how horsemanship related to kingship. If a king could control a horse, then he could control the kingdom. She learns to ride and horse dancing to take part in a performance. Worsley talks about how current royals still work with horses. It is an interesting documentary and watching Lucy learn to ride a horse is a delight. Worsley wrote a paper on the Duke of Cavendish and his love of horses and you see that in the documentary. *Recommended for research purposes.*
Blitz Spirit - Video No Longer Available
Lucy Worsley explores the history of the Blitz. She tells the story of six people who lived and worked to keep Britians safe during the Blitz. The British tried to prepare for war as best as they could. Everyone put in the effort to prepare for war. She explores the power of the press during the Blitz and how the press was tied to the military. The press was to keep the people’s spirits up. Worsley is an excellent storyteller on this subject. *Highly recommended for a high school history classroom.*
This list is current as of June 9, 2021
