My Grandparents’ War

Singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé explores her grandparents’ remarkable stories, which span World War II, the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya, and the fight for independence in Zambia. She faces a mix of emotions: “Both sets of my grandparents were involved in violent struggles in Africa,” she says. “One, tasked with upholding the British Empire. The other: trying to overthrow it.”

Actor Toby Jones uncovers the remarkable World War II stories of his maternal grandparents, Reggie and Dorki, whose love endured despite the trauma and hardships they faced. He learns about his grandmother’s dramatic escape from the Nazis in Northern France, and solves the family mystery of how his grandfather was shot while fighting the Japanese.

Actress Keira Knightley (Pride and Prejudice, Atonement) has starred in several films set during World War II, yet admits she never knew much about her grandparents’ actual wartime experiences. Now, through conversations with family members and historians, she learns of the triumphs and tragedies her grandparents faced during some of the biggest conflicts of the century.

Actor Kit Harington, who has played soldiers, spies, and – in "Game of Thrones" – warriors, discovers that his grandparents played comparable roles in their real lives during WWII. Speaking with family members and historians, he gains a new appreciation of the courage and sacrifice all four grandparents shared as they fought for their country and for a cause.