Silver Spring, MD — Featuring performances from five top British actresses each playing the queen in a different decade, The Queen debuts on DVD from Acorn Media on October 5, 2010 (www.AcornOnline.com; $39.99). Available to U.S. audiences for the first time with its DVD release, this groundbreaking and provocative new, five-part miniseries features dramatizations mixed with documentary footage and interviews to reveal Queen Elizabeth II as never seen before. At pivotal moments in her reign from 1955 to 2005, the queen is portrayed by: Emilia Fox (Silent Witness), Samantha Bond (GoldenEye), Susan Jameson (New Tricks), Barbara Flynn (Cracker), and Diana Quick (Brideshead Revisited).

Elizabeth Windsor rose to the throne in 1952 and has been Queen of the United Kingdom ever since. She has reigned over turbulent times. Social upheavals, cash problems, civil unrest, and family woes have challenged her spirit, her principles, and her resolve. This five-part British series blends dramatized scenes behind palace doors with documentary footage and new interviews with royal insiders, including biographers, journalists, government officials, palace staff, and a former Archbishop of Canterbury.

The series includes guest appearances by Peter Davison (The Last Detective), Simon Williams (Upstairs, Downstairs), and Philip Jackson (Poirot), and exceptional production values, with costuming and set design perfectly reflecting each era of the queen’s nearly 60-year reign. The Queen aired on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2009 and has yet to air in the U.S.

Episode 1: Sisters
Head of the church as well as the state, the young queen (Emilia Fox) is torn. Her sister, Princess Margaret, is in love with Group Captain Peter Townsend, a dashing, divorced royal servant. The queen wants her sister to be happy, but she knows her duty.

Episode 2: Us and Them
The royal family’s popularity is at an all-time low. Nearly half of England wants to do away with the monarchy altogether. The queen (Samantha Bond) must ask for a pay raise, the IRA makes threats, and Princess Anne is nearly kidnapped.

Episode 3: The Rivals
In 1986, the Commonwealth has its first female prime minister, and the queen (Susan Jameson) is not amused. Mrs. Thatcher opposes Her Majesty on almost everything, especially sanctions against apartheid in South Africa.

Episode 4: The Enemy Within
Andrew and Fergie split, and Charles and Diana’s mounting troubles are tabloid fodder. In November, Windsor Castle is badly damaged by fire. For the queen (Barbara Flynn), 1992 is the worst year of her life—her annus horribilis.

Episode 5: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Camilla?
The queen (Diana Quick) is in no hurry to welcome Camilla Parker Bowles into the royal family. For Prince Charles, being with the woman he really loves is nonnegotiable. The ultimate survivor and pragmatist, the queen finally accepts the marriage.

Street: October 5, 2010
SRP: $39.99
DVD 2-Disc Set: 5 Episodes - Approx. 238 min. - SDH subtitles

Headquartered in suburban Washington, D.C., Acorn Media distributes distinctive home video releases to the North American market with a special focus on the best of British television. Acorn’s DVD sets are available from select retailers, catalog companies, and direct from Acorn Media at (888) 870-8047 or www.acornonline.com.