The Four Hundred: A Modern Royal Court Crier
Royal Reviewer - Youtube
Fascination with the British Royal Family is not only a domestic occurrence but a global phenomenon.
Princess Diana caught American viewers' attention with her graciousness down-to-earth demeanor, and her sons William, Duke of Cambridge, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, have carried the royal spotlight after Princess Diana's death and have kept the world is magnetized.
The Royals fascinate all of us, so where can we get even more regal content?
Youtuber Elliot Phillips, also known as the 'Royal Reviewer,' gives viewers the scoop on the royal family while also educating his audience about British history and every notable British icon's background.
As of March 2021, his channel has 110K subscribers and 1.62K videos uploaded. His first video, "Princess Diana - Take A Look Inside Diana Princess of Wales Apartment home at Kensington Palace," was uploaded nearly six years ago with a plethora of videos following it detailing any and all royal affairs.
Recitations of Queen Elizabeth's diary entries and commentary on new royal video releases are some of the content that spans his channel.
On March 9, he released a personal reaction video to Oprah's interview with Harry and Meghan. He picks apart the interview and delivers his commentary on the discussion with his background in royal history.
Approximately 17.1 million viewers tuned in to the recent Oprah Winfrey interview with Harry and Meghan on March 7.
Elliot introduces the video by explaining to viewers his breakdown of the 90-minute interview, with written notes beside him to guide him through his detailed analysis.
He briefly touches on the gender reveal of their baby girl and how the publicity for that was a stark difference from hearing close to nothing with their first child Archie, which he believes was an influence of the Royal court and their privacy protocols.
He also discusses Harry's comments about funding being 'cut-off' by the royals and some claims about Megan's serious mental health issues.
“I've seen some people saying that they think Megan is lying. . .we have to take this at face value, these are serious allegations," Elliot explains, "Just the same as, you know, the palace is taking it seriously that there are allegations that Megan bullied staff."
Quite possibly the biggest topic of discussion in the interview was about Archie and an unnamed member of the Royal family inquiring to Harry about the color of Archie’s skin. Elliot admits that he is not completely sure if he understands the dynamic of multiracial relationships, but denounces what may have been discussed in a racist way.
“I think the general feeling in the UK is that we want to know who it is,” Elliot said, “I think most people want to know who said it and of course what context it was said in and I really can’t say anything more about it because we don’t know anything else.”
“I’m being a 100% categoric that if it was in a negative and a racist way that is wrong, deplorable, despicable and we want to know exactly what was actually said.”
Elliot offers honest opinions about issues that can be taken for face-value. Though he remains in the U.K., he utilizes his knowledge about current events to give other viewers an unbiased view of the royals.
He also discusses events happening in real-time in the news, and pop culture hits like the Golden Globe-winning Netflix series, The Crown.
The historical drama series produced by Andrew Eaton documents Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the dramatized events surrounding it. Elliot invites viewers to go through the episodes with him in line with how Queen Elizabeth II was actually versus how she was portrayed in the television series.
"We're never going to know the personal conversations. . .we just can't say categorically the Crown's portrayal is exactly how it happened, but we know that these things and these themes are explored because they did happen," Elliot said in his The Crown Series 4 Episode 1 review episode.
Through many of his episodes, whether it deals with the newest Charles and Camilla news or accounts of historical events in royal history on that day, Elliot manages to squeeze in answers to his inquiring viewers, letting his channel be an informative and personable source for fans all over the world.
And along with his most popular channel, The Royal Reviewer, he has two other channels: one dedicated exclusively to Harry and Meghan, and the other documenting his personal life in Britain with his partner Matt.
"Harry & Meghan - Royal Reviewer" takes viewers through Archie's first birthday, Meghan's broadcasted response to the Black Lives Matter movement, and commentary on the latest rumors and gossip on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
With all eyes on Harry and Meghan after their split from the royal family and their allegations against the royal family, Elliot ensures his subscribers are up-to-date with the couple and their whereabouts.
Some exclusive footage and photos are shared, such as an insider's view of Harry and Meghan's Montecito mansion, as well as their latest pregnancy photo release, all of which are analyzed with great detail and insight.
For his significant following from the "Royal Reviewer," Elliot gives subscribers personal content for an insider look at his life, as well as an opportunity to pay for a membership to extra video and photo content on Patreon.
Not only that, but the Royal Reviewer has garnered enough support to sustain its own merchandise as well. Mugs, sweatshirts, tote bags, and masks are all emblazoned with the Royal Reviewer logo on them, endorsed and supported by Elliot himself.
So for the most dedicated royal fans, another outlet for exclusive and local U.K. news explained, the Royal Reviewer is a place to start.