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The Queen has ordered a DVD box set of the latest Dr Who series for her summer holiday.

She has become a huge fan of the hit BBC show starring Christopher Ecclestone - and she was hugely disappointed when the actor quit after his first stint as the Time Lord.

Royal aides say the monarch, pictured far right, is also a fan of the Daleks (right) and she intends to while away August evenings watching the series at her Scottish residence.

A Buckingham Palace source said: "The Queen loves the programme and has requested a full set of DVDs.

"She has asked the BBC to send her copies so she can watch the series again during her stay at Balmoral."

Her courtiers ordered the 13-part DVD set from the Cardiff-based team at BBC Wales which made the series for a record #10million.

The monarch has followed the show since it began in 1963 with William Hartnell as the first of nine actors to play the time-travelling hero.

And Her Majesty rates Ecclestone as one of the best incarnations of the Doctor - despite his decision to quit. The Queen has also requested recordings of BBC comedy drama Life Isn't All Ha Ha Hee Hee for her annual trip to her Scottish estate.

The series, written by and starring comedian Meera Syal, chronicles the lives of three Asian women.

Her other choices include Midsomer Murders, the drama series starring John Nettles, and light-hearted police show New Tricks.

By tradition, broadcasters give members of the Royal family recordings of their favourite programmes before they are available in the shops on video or DVD.

But a spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace said last night: "The Queen's television viewing is a personal matter and we are unable to discuss it."