The Best Movies About British Royalty
“What are the best movies about or featuring British Royalty?” We looked at 152 of the top Royal films, aggregating and ranking them so we could answer that very question!
The top 36 films, all appearing on 3 or more “Best British Royal” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 100+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
For more royal entertainment, check out our sister website, Book Scrolling, and their article of the Best British Monarchy & Royal Books Of All Time!
Top 36 British Royalty Movies
36 .) A Man for All Seasons
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Movies By Farr
- IMDB
- We Are Movie Geeks
A Man for All Seasons is the filmed version of the life of Thomas More. An English man comes to Sir Thomas More to ask if he can divorce his wife since King Henry VIII has made it illegal. Sir Thomas More stands up in opposition to the King even though he knows he’s risking his own life. An award winning film from 1966.
Purchase / Learn More
 |
35 .) A Queen Is Crowned
Lists It Appears On:
- Anglotopia
- IMDB 2
- Wikipedia
A lavish documentary film of Queen Elizabeth II’s Coronation in 1953.
Purchase / Learn More
|
34 .) Anastasia
Lists It Appears On:
- Ranker
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
This animated adventure retells the story of the lost daughter of Russia’s last czar. The evil Rasputin places a curse on the Romanov family, and Anastasia and her grandmother, Empress Maria, get separated. After growing up in an orphanage, Anastasia encounters two Russian men seeking a reward offered by Empress Maria for the return of her granddaughter. The trio travels to Paris, where they find that the empress has grown skeptical of imposters.
Purchase / Learn More
|
33 .) Becket (1964)
Lists It Appears On:
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- We Are Movie Geeks
King Henry II of England has trouble with the Church. When the Archbishop of Canterbury dies, he has a brilliant idea. Rather than appoint another pious cleric loyal to Rome and the Church, he will appoint his old drinking and wenching buddy, Thomas Becket, technically a deacon of the church, to the post. Unfortunately, Becket takes the job seriously and provides abler opposition to Henry.
Purchase / Learn More
|
32 .) Fire over England (1937)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- IMDB
- Ranker
The film is a historical drama set during the reign of Elizabeth I (Flora Robson), focusing on the English defeat of the Spanish Armada, whence the title. In 1588, relations between Spain and England are at the breaking point. With the support of Queen Elizabeth I, British sea raiders such as Sir Francis Drake regularly capture Spanish merchantmen bringing gold from the New World.
Purchase / Learn More
|
31 .) Lady Jane (1986)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Movie Critical
- Ranker
The death of King Henry VIII throws his kingdom into chaos because of succession disputes. His weak son Edward, is on his deathbed. Anxious to keep England true to the Reformation, a scheming minister John Dudley marries off his son, Guildford to Lady Jane Grey, whom he places on the throne after Edward dies. At first hostile to each other, Guildford and Jane fall in love. But they cannot withstand the course of power which will lead to their ultimate downfall.
Purchase / Learn More
|
30 .) Mary of Scotland (1936)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- IMDB
- Ranker
The recently widowed Mary Stuart returns to Scotland to reclaim her throne but is opposed by her half-brother and her own Scottish lords.
Purchase / Learn More
|
29 .) Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- Ranker
- Tech Times
Young Shakespeare is forced to stage his latest comedy, “Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter,” before it’s even written. When a lovely noblewoman auditions for a role, they fall into forbidden love — and his play finds a new life (and title). As their relationship progresses, Shakespeare’s comedy soon transforms into tragedy.
Purchase / Learn More
|
28 .) The Duchess (2008)
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Life Online
- IMDB
- Vogue
A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life.
Purchase / Learn More
|
27 .) The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
This period drama frames the tumultuous affair between Queen Elizabeth I and the man who would be King of England.
Purchase / Learn More
|
26 .) The Virgin Queen (1955)
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- Movie Critical
- Ranker
Sir Walter Raleigh overcomes court intrigue to win favor with the Queen in order to get financing for a proposed voyage to the New World.
Purchase / Learn More
|
25 .) W.E. (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Cosmopolitan
- The Culture Trip
In 1998, an auction of the estate of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor causes great excitement. For one woman, Wally Winthrop, it has much more meaning. Wally becomes obsessed by their historic love story. As she learns more about the sacrifices involved, Wally gains her own courage to find happiness.
Purchase / Learn More
|
24 .) Anne of the Thousand Days
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- Ranker
Henry VIII of England discards one wife, Katharine of Aragon, who has failed to produce a male heir, in favor of the young and beautiful Anne Boleyn.
Purchase / Learn More
|
23 .) Elizabeth I – The Virgin Queen
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- People
- Quartzy
- Time
The Virgin Queen explores the full sweep of Elizabeth’s life: from her days of fear as a potential victim of her sister’s terror; through her great love affair with Robert Dudley; into her years of triumph over the Armada; and finally her old age and her last, enigmatic relationship with her young protégé, the Earl of Essex.
Purchase / Learn More
|
22 .) Mary, Queen of Scots
Lists It Appears On:
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Ranker
- Refinery 29
Mary Stuart attempts to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I, Queen of England, only to find herself condemned to years of imprisonment before facing execution.
Purchase / Learn More
|
21 .) The Crown (2016)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Express
- Quartzy
- Refinery 29
We don’t have an overview translated in English. Help us expand our database by adding one.
Purchase / Learn More
|
20 .) The Royals
Lists It Appears On:
- Daily Dot
- Express
- Quartzy
- Time
Royal Tenenbaum and his wife Etheline had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary — all geniuses. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father’s fault. “The Royal Tenenbaums” is the story of the family’s sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.
Purchase / Learn More
|
19 .) Victoria (2016)
Lists It Appears On:
- British Period Dramas
- Express
- Quartzy
- Time
Victoria Spick, a criminal lawyer who is single, turns up at a wedding and meets three men there: David, the father of her daughters; Vincent, a friend of hers; and Sam, a former drug dealer who she bailed out. The next day, Vincent is accused of attempted murder by his partner.
Purchase / Learn More
|
18 .) Victoria & Abdul (2017)
Lists It Appears On:
- British Period Dramas
- IMDB 2
- Refinery 29
- The Culture Trip
Queen Victoria strikes up an unlikely friendship with a young Indian clerk named Abdul Karim.
Purchase / Learn More
|
17 .) Wolf Hall
Lists It Appears On:
- Express
- IMDB
- Quartzy
- Time
Following the fact-based historical book of the same name, this drama follows the rise of Cromwell as he becomes Henry the VIII’s closest advisor.
Purchase / Learn More
|
16 .) A Royal Night Out (2015)
Lists It Appears On:
- Cosmopolitan
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- People
- The Culture Trip
The re-imagining of VE Day in 1945, when Princess Elizabeth and her sister, Margaret were allowed out from Buckingham Palace for the night to join in the celebrations, and encounter romance and danger.
Purchase / Learn More
|
15 .) Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
Lists It Appears On:
- Flush The Fashion
- IMDB
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
- Refinery 29
When Queen Elizabeth’s reign is threatened by ruthless familial betrayal and Spain’s invading army, she and her shrewd adviser must act to safeguard to the lives of her people.
Purchase / Learn More
|
14 .) Reign
Lists It Appears On:
- Daily Dot
- IMDB
- People
- Tech Times
- Time
Hidden between the lines of the history books is the story of Mary Stuart, the young woman the world would come to know as Mary, Queen of Scots. The teenage Mary is already a headstrong monarch – beautiful, passionate and poised at the very beginning of her tumultuous rise to power.
Purchase / Learn More
|
13 .) The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Movies By Farr
- BFI
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- We Are Movie Geeks
Renowned for his excess, King Henry VIII goes through a series of wives during his rule. With Anne Boleyn, his second wife, executed on charges of treason, King Henry weds maid Jane Seymour, but that marriage also ends in tragedy. Not one to be single for long, the king picks German-born Anne of Cleves as his bride, but their union lasts only months before an annulment is granted, and King Henry continues his string of spouses.
Purchase / Learn More
|
12 .) The White Queen (2013)
Lists It Appears On:
- Daily Dot
- Express
- IMDB
- Quartzy
- Time
Three different, yet equally relentless women vie for the throne in 15th Century England.
Purchase / Learn More
|
11 .) Diana (2013)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Best Life Online
- People
- Tech Times
- The Culture Trip
- Vogue
During the last two years of her life, Princess Diana (Naomi Watts) campaigns against the use of land mines and has a secret love affair with a Pakistani heart surgeon (Naveen Andrews).
Purchase / Learn More
|
10 .) Henry V (1989)
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Movies By Farr
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Ranker 2
- We Are Movie Geeks
Gritty adaption of William Shakespeare’s play about the English King’s bloody conquest of France.
Purchase / Learn More
|
9 .) The Lion in Winter (1968)
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Movies By Farr
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- Ranker
1183 AD: King Henry II’s three sons all want to inherit the throne, but he won’t commit to a choice. They and his wife variously plot to force him.
Purchase / Learn More
|
8 .) The Tudors (2007 – 2010)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Daily Dot
- People
- Quartzy
- Refinery 29
- Tech Times
- Time
This Showtime drama focuses on the early years of King Henry VIII’s nearly 40-year reign (1509-1547) of England. The series looks at Henry’s famous female companions like Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn and delves into his relationships with important figures
Purchase / Learn More
|
7 .) Mrs. Brown (1997)
Lists It Appears On:
- British Period Dramas
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- Quartzy
- Refinery 29
- Tech Times
- The Culture Trip
Queen Victoria is deeply depressed after the death of her husband, disappearing from public. Her servant Brown, who adores her, through caress and admiration brings her back to life, but that relationship creates scandalous situation and is likely to lead to monarchy crisis.
Purchase / Learn More
|
6 .) The Madness of King George (1994)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Flush The Fashion
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Ranker 2
- We Are Movie Geeks
- Wikipedia
King George III’s erratic behaviour leads to a plot in Parliament to have him declared insane and removed from the throne.
Purchase / Learn More
|
5 .) The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Life Online
- Cheat Sheet
- Cosmopolitan
- Flush The Fashion
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
- Refinery 29
A sumptuous and sensual tale of intrigue, romance and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in European history: two beautiful sisters, Anne and Mary Boleyn, driven by their family’s blind ambition, compete for the love of the handsome and passionate King Henry VIII.
Purchase / Learn More
|
4 .) Elizabeth (1998)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Best Life Online
- BFI
- Cheat Sheet
- Cosmopolitan
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
- Refinery 29
The story of the ascension to the throne and the early reign of Queen Elizabeth the First, the endless attempts by her council to marry her off, the Catholic hatred of her and her romance with Lord Robert Dudley.
Purchase / Learn More
|
3 .) The Young Victoria (2009)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- British Period Dramas
- Cheat Sheet
- Cosmopolitan
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- People
- Quartzy
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
- Refinery 29
- The Culture Trip
- Vogue
- We Are Movie Geeks
From Academy Award® winners Graham King and Martin Scorsese, along with the makers of Gosford Park and The Departed, comes the story of Queen Victoria’s early rise to power. From an object of a royal power-struggle to her romantic courtship and legendary marriage to Prince Albert, Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada) gives a stunning performance as the young Victoria. Packed with drama, romance, breath-taking cinematography, lavish costumes and featuring an outstanding British cast including Jim Broadbent, Harriet Walter, Mark Strong, Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, and Rupert Friend, The Young Victoria has captivated British audiences, and is the film that Company magazine called “an epic British film, which will sweep you up in her remarkable story.”
Purchase / Learn More
|
2 .) The King’s Speech (2010)
Lists It Appears On:
- Apartment Therapy
- Best Life Online
- Cheat Sheet
- Cosmopolitan
- Flush The Fashion
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- People
- Ranker 2
- Refinery 29
- Tech Times
- The Culture Trip
- Vogue
- We Are Movie Geeks
- Wikipedia
The King’s Speech tells the story of the man who became King George VI, the father of Queen Elizabeth II. After his brother abdicates, George (‘Bertie’) reluctantly assumes the throne. Plagued by a dreaded stutter and considered unfit to be king, Bertie engages the help of an unorthodox speech therapist named Lionel Logue. Through a set of unexpected techniques, and as a result of an unlikely friendship, Bertie is able to find his voice and boldly lead the country into war.
Purchase / Learn More
|
1 .) The Queen (2006)
Lists It Appears On:
- Best Life Online
- Cheat Sheet
- Cosmopolitan
- Flush The Fashion
- Greatest Movies
- IMDB
- IMDB 2
- Movie Critical
- People
- Quartzy
- Ranker
- Ranker 2
- Refinery 29
- The Culture Trip
- Vogue
- We Are Movie Geeks
- Wikipedia
The Queen is an intimate behind the scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public’s demand for an overt display of mourning.
Purchase / Learn More
|
The 100+ Additional Best Movies About Monarchies
| # | Movies | Lists |
| (Films Appear On 2 List Each) | ||
| 37 | Blackadder | Daily Dot |
| Refinery 29 | ||
| 38 | Braveheart (1995) | Apartment Therapy |
| IMDB | ||
| 39 | Cromwell (1970) | Apartment Therapy |
| IMDB | ||
| 40 | Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy | Cosmopolitan |
| Wikipedia | ||
| 41 | Downton Abbey | People |
| Time | ||
| 42 | Edward the King (1975) | Apartment Therapy |
| IMDB | ||
| 43 | Elizabeth at 90: A Family Portrait | Cosmopolitan |
| Wikipedia | ||
| 44 | Ever After | Ranker |
| Ranker 2 | ||
| 45 | Farewell, My Queen | Ranker |
| Ranker 2 | ||
| 46 | Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown | Best Life Online |
| Best Movies By Farr | ||
| 47 | Hyde Park on Hudson (2013) | Flush The Fashion |
| Wikipedia | ||
| 48 | Marie Antoinette (2006) | Ranker |
| Vogue | ||
| 49 | Mary Queen of Scots (1971) | BFI |
| We Are Movie Geeks | ||
| 50 | Mary Queen of Scots (2018) | Apartment Therapy |
| Wikipedia | ||
| 51 | Monarch | IMDB |
| Wikipedia | ||
| 52 | One Night with the King | Ranker |
| Ranker 2 | ||
| 53 | Orlando (1992) | BFI |
| Ranker | ||
| 54 | Outlander (2014) | Apartment Therapy |
| Time | ||
| 55 | Prince Harry: Frontline Afghanistan | Anglotopia |
| Quartzy | ||
| 56 | Royal Journey | Anglotopia |
| Wikipedia | ||
| 57 | The Lost Prince | IMDB |
| IMDB 2 | ||
| 58 | The Pillars of the Earth (2010) | Apartment Therapy |
| IMDB | ||
| 59 | The Princess Diaries | Ranker |
| Ranker 2 | ||
| 60 | The Sea Hawk (1940) | BFI |
| Ranker | ||
| 61 | The Virgin Queen | IMDB |
| IMDB 2 | ||
| 62 | Versailles (2015) | Time |
| Vogue | ||
| 63 | Victoria & Albert (2001) | British Period Dramas |
| IMDB 2 | ||
| 64 | Wallis & Edward | IMDB |
| IMDB 2 | ||
| 65 | 1944 production | Best Movies By Farr |
| 66 | A Jubilee Tribute to the Queen by the Prince of Wales | Anglotopia |
| 67 | A King’s Story | Wikipedia |
| 68 | A Prince Among Islands | Wikipedia |
| 69 | A Royal Affair | Ranker 2 |
| 70 | Alfred the Great | IMDB |
| 71 | Anna Boleyn (1920) | BFI |
| 72 | Anonymous | IMDB |
| 73 | Aristocrats (1999) | Apartment Therapy |
| 74 | Bertie and Elizabeth | Wikipedia |
| 75 | Black Mirror, | Quartzy |
| 76 | Bonnie Prince Charlie | IMDB |
| 77 | Born to Royalty | Anglotopia |
| 78 | BRAVEHEART | We Are Movie Geeks |
| 79 | Britain’s Real Monarch | Wikipedia |
| 80 | Call the Midwife | Time |
| 81 | Cameraman to the Queen | Anglotopia |
| 82 | Carry On Henry (1971) | BFI |
| 83 | Charles & Camilla | Cosmopolitan |
| 84 | Charles III | Express |
| 85 | Cinderella | Ranker |
| 86 | Cleopatra | Ranker 2 |
| 87 | Das Herz der Königin | Ranker |
| 88 | Diana, 7 Days | Wikipedia |
| 89 | Edward & Mrs. Simpson | Quartzy |
| 90 | Edward II | IMDB |
| 91 | ELIZABETH | We Are Movie Geeks |
| 92 | Elizabeth R: A Year in the Life of the Queen | Wikipedia |
| 93 | Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale | Ranker |
| 94 | Enchanted | Ranker 2 |
| 95 | First Knight | Ranker 2 |
| 96 | Frozen | Ranker |
| 97 | Gentlemen, the Queen | Anglotopia |
| 98 | Gunpowder | Time |
| 99 | Gunpowder, Treason & Plot | IMDB |
| 100 | Henri 4 | IMDB |
| 101 | Henry V | IMDB |
| 102 | Henry VIII | IMDB |
| 103 | Ironclad | IMDB |
| 104 | Ivanhoe | IMDB |
| 105 | King Solomon’s Mines | Ranker 2 |
| 106 | Kings | Quartzy |
| 107 | Lifetime’s William & Kate | Cosmopolitan |
| 108 | Looking for Victoria | Anglotopia |
| 109 | Mad Love | Ranker |
| 110 | Mayerling (1968 film) | Wikipedia |
| 111 | Monarchy (TV series) | Wikipedia |
| 112 | Monarchy with David Starkey | IMDB |
| 113 | Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work | Wikipedia |
| 114 | Mr Selfridge | Time |
| 115 | Our Queen | Anglotopia |
| 116 | Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time | Ranker 2 |
| 117 | Princess Caraboo | Ranker 2 |
| 118 | Richard III | IMDB |
| 119 | Royal Family (documentary) | Wikipedia |
| 120 | Sixty Glorious Years (1938) | British Period Dramas |
| 121 | Sleeping Beauty | Ranker 2 |
| 122 | Steel Magnolias | Ranker 2 |
| 123 | The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | Ranker 2 |
| 124 | The Coronation (documentary) | Wikipedia |
| 125 | The Coronation of Edward VII | Wikipedia |
| 126 | The Devil’s Whore | IMDB |
| 127 | The First Churchills (1969) | Apartment Therapy |
| 128 | The Hollow Crown | IMDB |
| 129 | The King James Bible: The Book That Changed the World (2011) | Apartment Therapy |
| 130 | The Last King | IMDB |
| 131 | The Libertine | IMDB |
| 132 | The Little Mermaid | Ranker 2 |
| 133 | The Man in the Iron Mask | Ranker 2 |
| 134 | The Plantagenets | IMDB |
| 135 | The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Ranker |
| 136 | The Queen in Australia | Wikipedia |
| 137 | The Queen’s Sister | Wikipedia |
| 138 | The Queen’s Palaces | Anglotopia |
| 139 | The Royal House of Windsor | Time |
| 140 | The Royal Tour of the Caribbean | Wikipedia |
| 141 | The Story of Mankind | Ranker |
| 142 | The Sword and the Rose | IMDB |
| 143 | The White Princess | Refinery 29 |
| 144 | The Windsors | Express |
| 145 | To Kill a King | IMDB 2 |
| 146 | Victoria Regina (1964) | British Period Dramas |
| 147 | Victoria the Great (1937) | British Period Dramas |
| 148 | Whatever Love Means | Wikipedia |
| 149 | William & Catherine: A Royal Romance | IMDB 2 |
| 150 | With Our King and Queen Through India | Wikipedia |
| 151 | Young Bess | Ranker |
| 152 | Young Victoria | Best Life Online |
26 Best British Monarchy Film Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| Anglotopia | Telly Steaming: Top 10 Royal Documentaries To Watch On BritBox |
| Apartment Therapy | British Royal Family – Chronological History Movies Shows … |
| Best Life Online | The 8 Best Movies About the British Royal Family – Best Life |
| Best Movies By Farr | 5 Royal Movies For Your British Monarchy Obsession | Best Movies by … |
| BFI | 10 great films set in the Tudor period | BFI |
| British Period Dramas | 8 of the best movies and TV series about Queen Victoria – British … |
| Cheat Sheet | The Best Movies About British Royalty – The Cheat Sheet |
| Cosmopolitan | 11 Best Movies About Royal Family – Films Like The Crown |
| Daily Dot | 5 Shows About Royalty to Binge After ‘The Crown’ – The Daily Dot |
| Express | The best royal dramas – Why are we so obsessed with the monarchy … |
| Flush The Fashion | Top 7 Movies about British Royalty | Flush the Fashion |
| Greatest Movies | 10 Greatest Films about British Monarchs – The Greatest Movies … |
| IMDB | British Royalty movies – IMDb |
| IMDB 2 | Movies about British monarchy – IMDb |
| Movie Critical | Movie Critical: Top 10 Films Featuring British Royalty |
| People | Royal Shows and Movies to Binge Watch | PEOPLE.com |
| Quartzy | CONTENT IS KING TV shows and movies about British royals to … |
| Ranker | Best Movies About Queens | List of Queen Movies – Ranker |
| Ranker 2 | The Best Movies About Royalty – Ranker |
| Refinery 29 | Royal Family Movies, Shows With British Monarch, Queens – Refinery29 |
| Tech Times | Netflix: 6 Movies And TV Shows About The British Monarchy To … |
| The Culture Trip | The Best Films About The British Royals – Culture Trip |
| Time | 14 TV Shows Like The Crown | Time |
| Vogue | Royal Shows and Movies With Amazing Sets to Binge-Watch This … |
| We Are Movie Geeks | 10 Best Royal Films – We Are Movie Geeks |
| Wikipedia | Category:Biographical films about British royalty – Wikipedia |
