Andrea Park
Once upon a time, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle turned the monarchy on its head by stepping down from their formal roles within the institution, moving to California, and starting a new life together far from the strict rules and traditions of the royal family. Whether Harry and Meghan's headline-making exit piqued your interest in the monarchy or you've long been fascinated by royals, there are countless captivating stories about famous rulers from history to the present—many of which make great movies.
Must-watch films about royals and royal life make for solid entertainment—what with their fantastic period costuming and production design—and can offer insight into iconic eras or figures. While some titles have undoubtedly taken liberties with the real-world details of their subject matter, turning historical accounts into romantic dramas or genre-bending biopics, something is intriguing about the pressures and privileges of the crown that these films explore. Without any further ado, here are the 15 best movies about royals to watch for a glimpse behind the curtain of the monarchy.
'Diana' (2013)
Naomi Watts took on the beloved persona of England’s Rose for this 2013 romantic drama. Set in the years following Princess Diana's divorce from Prince Charles, the movie gives an intimate perspective of the intense public scrutiny the former royal faced as she attempted to move on from life inside the palace walls with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan. Like the real-life story, it ends in tragedy, with a fatal car crash that would leave both England and the world at large in mourning.
'The Duchess' (2008)
Long before Princess Diana, Duchess Kate, and Duchess Meghan were captivating the world with their royal love affairs, it was Diana’s great-great-great-great aunt, Georgiana Spencer, who had tongues wagging with her union to William Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire. Depicted by Keira Knightley in 2008’s The Duchess, Spencer, who came to power in the late 18th century, wasn’t exactly blessed with a fairytale marriage. And her loveless union proved to be even more insufferable by the pressures to produce a male heir.
'Elizabeth' (1998)
Before Queen Elizabeth II ruled on high, there was Queen Elizabeth I, who went down in history as the only English queen who never married. While she has been portrayed in several films and television adaptations throughout the years, 1998’s Elizabeth, which featured Cate Blanchett as the leading lady, is perhaps the most acclaimed. Though Elizabeth I managed to establish Protestantism during her reign, champion the arts, and bring peace to her then-tumultuous country, her worth was reduced by many of her subjects to what was seen as a failure to wed and produce a royal heir. With Elizabeth, however, Blanchett managed to restore some of the historical figure’s power, proclaiming herself a bride of England and ruling as “the virgin queen.”
'The Favourite' (2018)
With an all-star cast that includes Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Olivia Colman, The Favourite sees a growing rivalry between the Duchess of Marlborough, Sarah Churchill (Weisz), and her cousin, Abigail Hill (Stone), over Queen Anne’s (Colman) favor in her court. The competitiveness between the two women was very real, with each attempting to use their relationship with the queen to support their political gains for their respective parties: the Whigs and the Tories.
'The Girl King' (2015)
Queen Christina, née Kristina Augusta, rose to power in Sweden in the 17th century, succeeding her father, Gustavus Adolphus, at 6-years-old. Having reportedly read about England’s “virgin queen,” Elizabeth I, Queen Christina shocked her kingdom by following in her fellow royal's footsteps and refusing to take any husband. Her journey—once portrayed by Greta Garbo in the 1933 film Queen Christina—was recreated for the silver screen once more with 2015’s The Girl King. This adaptation more closely explores her nonconformist relationship with gender and her rumored sexual affairs with her closest friend, Ebba Sparre. It also recounts the events that led the Swedish ruler to convert from Lutheranism to Catholicism and abdicate her throne in 1654 to her cousin, Charles Gustav.
'Grace of Monaco' (2014)
“I don’t know how I’m going to spend the rest of my life in this place where I can’t be me,” Grace Kelly (played by Nicole Kidman) whispers to her trusted confidant, Father Francis Tucker (Frank Langella), at the height of her despair in this 2014 film. The American movie star upended her life in the States and gave up her career to become Princess Grace of Monaco, wife to Prince Rainier III, but, as seen in this movie, it didn't exactly go how she had hoped. While it’s unclear whether such a conversation between the two happened, other real-life friends of Kelly’s hinted at her initial unhappiness in her new life.
'The King' (2019)
The main theme of The King? Be careful who you trust—especially when you’re a ruling monarch. A war film based on Shakespeare’s dramatized account of King Henry V’s rule, this Netflix adaptation sees star Timothée Chalamet begrudgingly drawn into the final stages of the Hundred Years’ War at the urging of those in his court. While he would be remembered as one of the greatest warrior kings of medieval England, in the film, he accepts his role with reluctance—something that differed from the king’s real-life demeanor.
'The King’s Speech' (2010)
Nominated for a whopping 12 Oscars at the 83rd Academy Awards and winning four, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Colin Firth’s poignant turn as King George IV, The King’s Speech was a major success upon its 2010 release. In it, we see the true story of the monarch, who suffered from an impenetrable stammer, working with a speech and language therapist to overcome his disorder as he prepares to make a national speech declaring war on Nazi Germany. With Helena Bonham Carter in a supporting role as his wife, Queen Elizabeth, the film gives a riveting look at the private battles being fought by the ruler behind the scenes of one of the biggest turning points in history.
'Mary Queen of Scots' (2018)
Helmed by Josie Rourke, this film tells the steely tale of two queens of the era, Mary of Scots (Saoirse Ronan) and Queen Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie), who notoriously battled each other for the right to England’s crown. The movie takes plenty of liberties with the two cousins—their impassioned face-to-face arguments, for instance, never actually happened. In real life, Mary, who took the throne at the ripe old age of six days old (yes, you read that right!) was gruesomely beheaded in 1587 by order of Elizabeth I, after Mary was implicated in a plot to have the English monarch killed.
'Marie Antoinette' (2006)
The trailer for this visually stunning piece from director Sofia Coppola may look more like a Halloween episode of Gossip Girl than a period piece, what with its over-the-top ensembles, Pinterest-worthy confections, and fabulously wealthy soirées. But don’t be fooled. It not only loosely documents the life of the late Queen of France as recounted by Antonia Fraser from her biographical work of the same name, but it also reminds the viewer of the tender age at which she took the throne—19—and the unending scrutiny that came along with her title. “It's kind of like a history of feelings, rather than a history of facts,” star Kirsten Dunst said of the film. Those relatable feelings—of doubt, rebelliousness, lust, fear, and regret—will stay with viewers long after the credits have begun to roll.
'The Other Boleyn Girl' (2008)
The Tudors may be the sexiest portrayal of King Henry VIII's relationship dramas, but this movie starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana gives the Showtime series a run for its money. And while we know ol' Hank liked to sleep around (he had six wives and many mistresses, remember), that's one of the few historically accurate aspects of this film. Based on the book of the same name by Philippa Gregory, centers on Henry's real-life second wife, Anne Boleyn (Portman), and her sister Mary (Johansson), with whom he was also romantically involved. Although some major plot points are fuzzy (it's not confirmed that Mary's son was Henry's, and the incest is questionable), what's true is that this love triangle was filled with deceit, revenge, and, eventually, beheading.
'The Queen' (2006)
You can’t talk about royal films without discussing 2006’s The Queen, for which a heavily makeup-ed Helen Mirren won an Academy Award. Set in the days following Diana’s death in 1997, the film explores the inner workings of the monarchy as its highest-ranking members, led by Queen Elizabeth II (Mirren), decide what role, if any, they are to play in the public mourning of the dearly departed princess. Though liberties were taken from the real-life story, some of the film's plot was likely rooted in truth. In real life, with actual headlines from the time reading “Show Us You Care” and the whole world watching, England’s long-time ruler ultimately chose to fly the flag at half-mast at Buckingham Palace for the first time and pay tribute to the late princess in a nationally televised address.
'A Royal Affair' (2012)
This Danish film depicts the true 18th-century story of the romantic affair between Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark and Johann Friedrich Struensee, the personal physician of King Christian VII of Denmark. The real-life scandal changed the country in many ways, as Queen Caroline and Struensee were both Enlightenment thinkers who enacted several progressive reforms. As for the film, it's both historically accurate and gorgeously portrayed, with Alicia Vikander and Mads Mikkelsen giving great performances.
'Spencer' (2021)
Yet another addition to the canon of films about the closely scrutinized, tragically short life of Princess Diana, this 2021 drama saw Kristen Stewart earn an Oscar nomination for all but disappearing into the titular role. Unlike the other Diana-centric flicks on this list, this one portrays the Princess of Wales while she was still married to Prince Charles—though the end was near. It takes place over a few days around Christmas 1991, as Diana, increasingly isolated due to her royal status, shut out by her husband, and tormented by loneliness, contemplates a divorce.
'The Young Victoria' (2009)
Queen Victoria, who served as the queen of the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland for 63 years, was no shrinking violet. Case in point? When tradition dictated that no one could propose to a reigning monarch, she took matters into her own hands, proposing to the man who would go on to become her husband: Prince Albert, the father of their nine children and the love of her life. Their epic romance is recreated in this 2009 flick, in which Emily Blunt gives a whip-smart performance as the fiercely independent—if sometimes sheltered—titular character, who succeeded King William IV at just 18-years-old.
