Great Romances of the 20th Century

He was the playboy prince and she was the cool blonde showgirl. It was the wedding of the decade as the ancient principality of Monaco was besieged by fans and the media circus, but the Hollywood star had difficulty adjusting to royal life.

Jackie Bouvier's marriage to JFK sealed a high profile political relationship but there was far more to Jackie than a dutiful wife coping with her husband's philanderings.

He was a powerful Greek shipping tycoon and she was the greatest opera singer of her time. The charismatic Onassis was enthralled by the diva, and Maria soon fell headlong into a tumultuous emotional love affair that was to last a decade and wreak havoc on her career.

The matinee idol and the funny lady made a devoted couple, but a tragic accident killed Carole Lombard and destroyed Gable's life.

Was it simply love for Juan Peron, or burning ambition, that set Evita on the road from rags to riches and corruption to become Argentina's First Lady?

An enduring love match between two intelligent, forceful personalities gave great strength to one of Britains finest leaders.

The enigmatic actress was swept off her feet by the charming, silent star, but both their careers were almost destroyed when he took on Hollywood's mightiest moguls.

Rare archive film taken at his Bavarian idyll at Berchtesgarten exposes Hitler's highly secret romance with Eva Braun whose photograph album has been recently discovered.

They were Hollywood's greatest on and off screen romance - a flamboyant couple that could neither live with nor without one another. They were married and divorced twice but, even when married to other people, they continued to care for each other until Burton's death.

He was the uncrowned King of England, and as such was forbidden to marry a Catholic. She was an American divorcee, and an adherent of the forbidden faith. In a scandal that could have brought down the British Monarchy, Edward VIII gave up his throne for the woman he loved.

They were two of the biggest stars of stage and screen, and when they met both were already married. Their affair was passionate and stormy, but survived the pressures of stardom and rivalry until Vivien Leigh contracted tuberculosis and gradually her whole personality began to change.

Archive film reveals the private moments of a remote royal family. Theirs was a union that was beset by tragedy, war and revolution. Alexandra's faith kept her strong, but her loyalty to Rasputin fuelled speculation about her fidelity to Nicholas.

A fascinating insight into the life of the American female aviator who disappeared on her round the world flight. But without adventurer and publisher, George Palmer Puttnam, she might never have performed any of her record-breaking feats.

He was a handsome monarch without a throne and she was a pretty Greek princess. Their wedding was a grand affair attended by most of the European royal families, but much of their married life was spent in exile until the Spanish dictator General Franco died in 1975.

Greeted by an uncertain public following his brother, Edward VIII's abdication, George VI and his beautiful young wife Mary, went on to become an inspiration to the nation during World War II. But he never wanted to be King and the the responsibility put him under enormous strain.

The beautiful Swedish actress won the hearts of Hollywood, but at the height of her fame an illicit affair with the Italian film director Roberto Rossellini shocked the world and almost ruined her career.

She was a sultry sex goddess and he was a multi-millionaire playboy, aircraft designer, part-time movie producer and reclusive eccentric. Of all of the beautiful women in the world, she was the only woman who ever succeeded in capturing his heart.

In public he was aloof and intimidating. In private he was romantic and emotional. Theirs was a marriage which was to survive war, exile and heartbreak. Throug it all, the enduring love of Charles de Gaulle's wife was an inspiration to the great French military leader and President.

At 54, the former star of the Silent Screen was recovering from a breakdown after being accused of communism when he met the 18 year old daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill. After three disastrous marriages and a succession of love affairs, Charlie Chaplin had found happiness at last.

The writer met his match in one of America's most respected and daring war correspondents during the Spanish civil war. Hemingway's third wife only left him when he grew intolerant of her career, competitive spirit and frequent absences. It was a romance forged in war and broken in rivalry.

It was a magical first meeting, which led to the White House. Eleanor Roosevelt was the woman who defined the role of America's First Lady, as she supported and cared for her husband through his political career and long illness.

It was almost love at first sight when the moody tough guy played opposite a young, beautiful actress called Lauren Bacall.

His influence changed American history but Randolf Hearst may have been manipulated by his mistress Marion Davies, the woman who loved the real Citizen Kane.

He was America's baseball legend and she was the most famous actress in Hollywood. It was a whirlwind romance, but the pressures of fame would eventually wreck Marilyn's private life.

In the 1920s, Fairbanks and Pickford were the uncrowned King and Queen of Hollywood and held court in the Californian mansion they named Pickfair. When they married and created their own studio, few could have imagined the scandal that would follow.

The press dubbed them 'Beauty and the Brain'. Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth were a remarkable pairing of opposites, the man who made 'Citizen Kane' and the siren who set the screen ablaze in 'Gilda'.