The British Empire brought education, technology, law, and democracy to the four corners of the globe. It also brought prejudice, discrimination, cultural bigotry, and racism. With an unblinking eye, this three-part series examines the complexities, contradictions, and legacies of empire, both positive and negative.

Rare and often very early color film from major archives and private collections gives a front-row view of history in the making: the Partition of India, the birth of the state of Israel, the Suez crisis, the rise of black nationalism in Africa, the handover of Hong Kong, and more. Personal letters and diary excerpts describe the experiences of the rulers and the ruled.

Produced by a BAFTA- and Peabody-winning team, narrated by Art Malik (The Jewel in the Crown), this fascinating series charts Britain's imperial path from the zenith of the Raj to the disintegration of the empire and the multicultural future it faces today.