Leopold Hoesch

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Over the centuries, it has been put to the test time and again: the Swedish monarchy, one of the oldest in the world and, at the same time, one of the most modern. What is the secret to the success of the Swedish royals, who enjoy such great popularity? “Moving with the times for Sweden”: King Carl Gustaf has made this the motto of his reign. As a result, gender equality has long been a part of the Swedish royal family. In 1980, the law of succession was amended to grant men and women equal inheritance rights. Marriages to commoners have also become a tradition. Sweden’s royal children are free to marry whomever they choose. The king himself set the example when he married Silvia Sommerlath from Heidelberg in 1976.

They are the most famous sisters in the Netherlands: the so-called “A-Team”—Amalia, Alexia, and Ariane, the daughters of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima. As they come of age, the younger daughters are also drawing public attention. However, only the eldest, Princess Amalia, bears any responsibility. Her path is predetermined as the future Queen of the Netherlands. Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane, however, have a choice. Will they dedicate themselves to serving the royal family, like their great-aunt Margriet, for whom this has been a life’s work for more than 60 years? Or will they follow the example of King Willem-Alexander’s brothers, who went their own way as “freelance royals”?

The series explores the social and political landscape of Germany in the 1970s, covering topics such as rebellion, social change, and political turmoil. Each episode is approximately 43 minutes long and covers a specific aspect of the decade.

Royal family expert Julia Melchior takes a multifaceted look at three memorable departures from Europe’s royal families and sheds light on the background stories, offering new insights into the royal system and the biographies of Harry, Friso, and Märtha Louise. The “Megxit” in January 2020 is still causing a stir. Prince Harry is working through his fate in a way that grabs media attention: the press, the expectations, the conventions. He felt “trapped in the system” of the royal family, from which he has now freed himself and his small family. No official role in sight, yet still in the spotlight. Hardly any duties, but many privileges. On the surface, the siblings of the heirs to the throne seem to lead easier lives, but does that also make them happier people?

In the run-up to the 2024 European Soccer Championship in Germany, “Soccer Miracle: From Bern to Berlin” offers an extraordinary, deeply emotional look at the evolution of the DFB national team—from the postwar era to the present day.

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The documentary “3 Days in September” focuses on the weekend of September 4–6, when Angela Merkel decided to allow refugees and asylum seekers from Hungary to enter Germany. It explores the controversial and challenging ambiguity surrounding this date and seeks to get to the bottom of it, to find out what really happened.

Queen Silvia is an icon; Crown Princess Victoria is a superstar. Mother and daughter bring glamour and good news. Constant public scrutiny and a life dictated by others are the price they pay. Would the Swedish monarchy even have a future without them? This film by royal expert Julia Melchior examines the role of strong women in one of Europe’s most popular royal families. Royals have no power, but they do have influence. Strictly speaking, Queen Silvia, as the wife of the reigning king, is merely the “queen consort.” There is no official job description for First Ladies; representing the monarchy is generally expected. Queen Silvia, however, has filled her role with a mission. She breaks taboos to give a voice to the most vulnerable members of society. With diplomatic skill, she defuses many a precarious situation. And with courage and poise, she also overcomes challenges within her own family.

Royals in the 21st century? A job for power couples! While it’s hard to imagine the British royal family without the Queen, her successors have long since taken the reins. In Spain, Felipe and Letizia are already shouldering the responsibility. In the United Kingdom and Sweden, two more power couples—William and Kate, as well as Victoria and Daniel—are waiting in the wings.

Daily cooperation between the generations is a challenge. As we learn from the royal family, this is no different in the royal household than it is in a family business. Carl Gustaf is (after fifty years on the throne) an experienced monarch, and Victoria is a strong-willed woman. She proved this when it came to the most important decision of her life: her husband, Daniel.

As crown princes, Haakon and Frederik were born for the roles that await them, but they are shaped by the women by their sides. Mette-Marit and Mary serve as advisors, representatives, and sources of support for their husbands. The two crown prince couples see themselves as equals and view their roles as a team effort. This is how they navigate the balancing act between the crown and family, duty and self-determination, old traditions and new issues—albeit in very different ways in both kingdoms. Who are the two crown princes who will ascend the throne in Norway and Denmark in the foreseeable future? In “My Husband, the Crown Prince,” ZDF royal expert Julia Melchior offers a personal look at the two heirs to the throne and the role their wives play in their lives.

The ARD series *ERDOĞAN* sets out to uncover the truth: For the first time, former associates and confidants from Erdoğan’s inner circle describe this man’s journey from an unwavering idealist to a controversial ruler. Their accounts reveal the inner drive behind his rise and the mechanisms of his power: Why was he able to repeatedly turn political defeats into opportunities? Where does his political instinct come from—the ability to recognize key moments and exploit them to his advantage? How did he manage to be elected as the undisputed sole ruler?

Can the National Football League’s appeal win over the hearts of fans in Germany and around the world for the long term? In “THE GAME – The NFL Takes Over Germany,” RTL explores this question in a high-quality, premium documentary and tells the extraordinary success story of the world’s largest sports league. Starting with the NFL Berlin Game in November 2025, the documentary traces the NFL’s rise from its historic beginnings to its status as a modern mega-event—featuring exclusive insights and interviews with, among others, NFL commissioners Roger Goodell and Gerrit Meier, as well as current and former German-speaking NFL pros such as Bernhard Raimann, Markus Kuhn, and Björn Werner.

For the 1994 World Cup, Germany entered as the favorite and defending champion, but was eliminated in the quarterfinals. Internal conflicts, media campaigns, and public criticism of coach Berti Vogts led the so-called "eleven friends" – players like Lothar Matthäus, Jürgen Klinsmann, Stefan Effenberg, Bodo Illgner, and Matthias Sammer – to maneuver themselves into a collective nightmare within just a few weeks. This documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at Germany’s memorable World Cup and shows how one of the strongest German teams of all time spectacularly failed.

The majority of Germans think UFOs are just something for crackpots. Researchers see it differently. This includes Hakan Kayal, a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Würzburg. He advocates approaching the topic with an open mind and is investigating so-called UAPs (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) using artificial intelligence. This is because there are flying objects with remarkable characteristics that have been spotted by radar systems, cameras, and highly trained pilots—and for which even the U.S. military has no explanation.

United States, September 1st, 2016. American football player Colin Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem, protesting police brutality against black people. Part of the population regards the gesture as an unacceptable affront to the flag. Later, he loses his place on his team. Today, however, he is considered by many as a true hero.

The ’60s—a decade that shaped our country like almost no other. The architecture of that era continues to define the character of our cities and towns to this day. Tens of thousands of people who came here back then as so-called “guest workers” to keep the economy in the Rhine and Ruhr regions running have long since made this their home. And the hits from those years are now timeless classics. Our series begins in 1960—the dawn of a new decade in which North Rhine-Westphalia knew only one direction: full steam ahead! The economic miracle made it possible. “We’re somebody again!”—that’s what we wanted to show, too. There were triumphs, but also tragedies.

"König Charles III - Tag der Krönung" is a TV Special on WeLT Television (formerly known as N24).