Top 25 Royal Movies That You Must Watch at Least Once

Everyone is fascinated with royal life! There is a lot of curiosity around the complexities of the royal family, power structure, power struggle, and royal lives. Royal movies from their fictionalized portrayal of the royal lives provide us with the best behind curtain glimpses of the monarchy.

Though sometimes these movies are based purely on fiction rather than real-life events, they still give us a healthy dose of royal entertainment, including fabulous costumes, sets, and brilliant acting, along with few history lessons. Ranging from fighting for the crown and royal romances to wars and the entrapments of royal life, royal movies cater to a diverse base of genres. It’s no wonder that movies based on royalty are always popular…

25 Best Royal Films

Here are some of the best royal movies one should watch at least once:

1. The King’s Speech

Year of Release – 2010

The multiple Academy award-winning movie “The King’s Speech” is based on the true story of King George VI, father of Queen Elizabeth II, the present Queen. King George VI unexpectedly becomes the King after his brother’s abdication and has to overcome his stammering.

2. The Queen

Year of release – 2006

One of the most popular movies about the royal family, “The Queen,” tells the story of royals’ reaction to Princess Diana’s death. The film showcases the inner workings of the monarchy in the days following Diana’s death in 1997, as its highest-ranking members determine what role, if any, they should play in the public grieving of the deceased princess.

3. The Other Boleyn Girl

Year of release – 2008

The Other Boleyn Girl tells the love triangle story between King Henry VIII, Mary Boleyn, and Anne Boleyn. Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, and her sister Mary, with whom he was also intimately engaged, focus this film based on Philippa Gregory’s novel of the same name.

4. The Girl King

Year of release – 2015

Queen Christina, née Kristina Augusta, ascended to the throne in the seventeenth century after succeeding her father, Gustavus Adolphus, at six. Her nonconformist relationship with gender and her reported sexual relationships with her best friend, Ebba Sparre, are explored in-depth in this film.

5. Grace of Monaco

Year of release – 2014

The movie Grace of Monaco is one of the best movies about royal romance. The movie tells the story of popular actress Grace Kelly and her romance with Prince Rainier III of Monaco. After marriage, the famous actress feels trapped in the royal customs and palace away from her loved life, which forms the film’s focus.

6. W.E.

Year of release – 2011

The film W.E., directed by Madonna, is about two ladies separated for almost six decades. In 1998, Wally Winthrop, a lonely New Yorker, becomes obsessed with King Edward VIII abdicating the British monarchy to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

7. Roman Holiday

Year of release – 1953

This sweet romantic movie tells the story of Princess Ann, who runs away from her royal life to enjoy a few days in relaxation. The princess conceals her identity to enjoy a holiday in Rome. There she meets a reporter, and she does the usual things she always wanted to do with him.

8. A King’s Story

Year of release – 1965

This Oscar-nominated documentary, “A King’s Story,” is one of the few cultural depictions of George V, who led a dull life unlike his sons – George VI and Edward VIII.

9. The Prince and Me

Year of release – 2004

The Prince & Me, a 2004 rom-com in which the imaginary Edward of Denmark leaves his world as a crowned prince behind to experience life as a student on American soil, is a lighter take on royal life. Paige Morgan (Julia Stiles), a pre-med student, meets him there and shows him everything he’s been missing out on.

10. Victoria & Abdul

Year of release – 2017

This 2017 biographical comedy-drama showcases the royal life of King Edward VII and Queen Victoria. One of the most popular movies about kings and queens is based on a real-life character, Abdul Karim, one of the royal servants serving Queen Victoria. Abdul and the queen develop an unlikely friendship that upsets Edward VII and several others.

11. The Princess Diaries

Year of release – 2001

The Princess Diaries is one of the most popular and loved films about royalty. The movie is a fictional tale of a common teenage girl discovering she is an actual princess one day. The movie revolves around her and the upheaval in her life after everyone finds out she is a princess.

12. The Young Victoria

Year of release – 2009

Young Victoria is a movie about Queen Victoria, who ascended the throne at 18 after her father’s death. She faces and conquers many challenges despite her inexperience and young age. Her reign is aptly called the “Golden age of expansion” of the country.

13. Elizabeth

Year of release – 1998

Elizabeth is the story about Queen Elizabeth, who ruled the country without a husband. Queen Elizabeth proclaimed herself as the bride of England and ruled as the “virgin queen.”

14. The Madness of King George

Year of release – 1994

This historical comedy-drama is a biographical movie about George III and George IV. On observing the deteriorating mental health of George III, the younger George questions his father’s sanity and ability to seize the throne.

15. Marie Antoinette

Year of release – 2006

Marie Antoinette is a movie based on the book by Antonia Frazer documenting the life of the Queen of France, who lost her head during the French Revolution. The film chronicles the life of the late queen of France, who was throned at the young age of 19 and constantly subjected to strict scrutiny by the public and media.

16. Diana

Year of release – 2013

Naomi Watts portrayed England’s Rose in the romance drama Diana, released in 2013. In the years after Princess Diana’s divorce from Prince Charles, the film provides an intimate look at the intense public scrutiny the former royal endured as she tried to move on from her life behind the palace walls with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.

17. Mary Queen of Scots

Year of release – 2018

The steely narrative of two queens of the era, Mary of Scots (Saoirse Ronan) and Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), who famously struggled for the right to England’s crown, is told in this female-directed drama.

18. The Duchess

Year of release – 2008

The movie tells the story of Georgiana Spencer, great-great-great-great aunt of Princess Diana, who married the Duke of Devonshire, William Spencer. She came to power in the 18th century, and her loveless marriage with the pressure to produce an heir forms the movie’s central theme.

19. Cromwell

Year of release – 1970

This must-watch movie is the story of King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. Oliver Cromwell (Rupert Everett) threatens the power of King Charles I (Sir Alec Guinness) to take the throne.

20. The Favourite

Year of release – 2018

The Favourite is a famous movie based on Queen Anne. The film tells how the close relationship between Queen Anne and Duchess Marlborough gets upended due to Abigail, cousin of the Duchess.

21. Stage Beauty

Year of release – 2004

Stage Beauty is a movie set in a time when a woman acting on stage was forbidden. King Charles II entertains the idea of seeing a woman on stage. See the film to witness a time steeped in history and the commotion in society when a female comes on stage.

22. Captain Kidd

Year of release – 1945

This adventure movie set in the times of King William II and III tells the story of pirate William Kidd. William Kidd swindles the King to make him believe that he is an honest sailor and gets commissioned as a privateer.

23. The King

Year of release – 2019

With the central themes of trust and betrayal, this war movie is based on King Henry V’s reign. Remembered as one of medieval England’s greatest kings, the film showcases King Henry V differently from the history books.

24. The Young Victoria

Year of release – 2010

Queen Victoria, George V’s grandmother, was the first long-reigning queen. This film covers the fictitious tale of her early life, including how she dealt with being a young leader, falling in love with her planned spouse, Prince Albert, and balancing family life with the responsibilities of reigning over a kingdom and commonwealth.

25. William & Kate

Year of release – 2011

The movie is based on the real-life story of Prince William and Kate Middleton. William & Kate chronicle their journey from their friendship in university to their romance and leads upto their royal engagement in 2010.

Next time you feel trapped in your mundane life or when your responsibilities burden you, grab some popcorn and see any of these royal movies. The struggles of being a royal and the responsibilities attached with the name will surely make you appreciate your ordinary life.

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