The Power and the Glory

The Power and the Glory tells the story of royal fleet reviews from the fifteenth century to the 2005 International Fleet Review, commemorating the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar, which was the final exhibition of that pomp and ceremony that had been an essential if irregular expression of naval strength for more than 500 years. Whether to impress or deter a foreign power, often when mobilizing for war, provide reassurance for domestic consumption or celebrate a sovereign's accession, royal naval reviews were an integral part of political positioning and national pride.