We see how a handsome and popular young man with exquisite manners, a witty conversationalist, the first gentleman of England, indeed, turned into a bloated, boorish and bullying monster who hated his son.

It turns out that Henry VIII was a bit of a prude, and shocked by the worldliness of Anne Boleyn; he had decent table manners, contrary to his image. The king's life eventually had to be adapted to accommodate his ever-increasing weight.

The Palace of Versailles pays testimony to Louis XIV, the self-styled Sun King, who ruled at the height of French power for an incredible 72 years. He had a very open 'secret' second marriage, as well as very infrequent bathing practices.

Hampton Court and Whitehall Palace provide the backdrops for a man besotted by sensuality who presided over a court obsessed by sex. A 24-hour 'pox doctor' was constantly on call.

We explore two of the most important relationships in her private life - with her husband Prince Albert, with whom things may not have been quite as they seemed; and her eldest son Edward, who she came to utterly despise.