The 15 Best Films About British Royalty

There's something about the monarchy in Great Britain that has always made for tremendously dramatic cinematic material. No matter how much we try to proclaim our distaste for the institution (that it's an essentially parasitic power structure feeding off the British people, that it churns out emotionally damaged individuals who consider themselves above the law, that is has no business even existing in a modern society — take your pick), we are endlessly fascinated by the royals' exploits.

Whether exploring the romanticism of the past through long-dead kings and queens or focusing on our current royal family as they attempt to carve out a place of relevance for themselves in a rapidly-changing society, there is an endless reserve of both potential narratives and audience interest. Starring as a member of the royal family is one of the most time-honored ways to get yourself an Oscar nomination: Over the years, actors have been nominated 20 times for playing a British royal (and with Kristen Stewart's recent turn in "Spencer," many expect that number to soon be 21). We just can't seem to let go of our inherent curiosity about the complicated lives of monarchs.

Most films about English royalty tend to focus on the central conflict of their lives: their responsibilities as a leader and figurehead, and their desire to have a more private life. But while Queen Victoria certainly had her share of issues (her famously overbearing mother forced Victoria to share a bedroom with her until she inherited the throne at age 18), "The Young Victoria" is notable for being one of the lightest, fluffiest royal dramas around. 

It's mostly about the burgeoning relationship between Queen Victoria (Emily Blunt) and her future husband Prince Albert (Rupert Friend), a romance that would stand in contrast to many royal marriages that were considered little more than a political tool between nations. When Albert died at the premature age of 42, Victoria was plunged into the deepest mourning, wearing all-black until her own death forty years later. But here, we see them young and happy, one of the rare successful marriages in the Hanoverian line.

Where other films about Queen Elizabeth try to glamorize her, "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" delivers a sadder and more melancholy interpretation of the character. Here, the aging queen is engaged in a romance with the much younger Earl of Essex (Errol Flynn), who is driven as much by ambition as he is affection. Bette Davis develops a nuanced depiction of Elizabeth as a proud but lonely woman who desperately wants to be loved for herself, and not just the favors she can bestow. 

She is determined not to give Essex special preference, which he interprets as a purposeful slight. Neither willing to compromise, their lovers' tiff evolves into something much larger and more destructive. Davis is the clear standout of the cast (she would, in fact, revisit the character of Queen Elizabeth 16 years later in "The Virgin Queen), and while Flynn can hardly hope to match her from a technical standpoint, he brings a youthful energy and arrogance to the role that provides a perfect counterpart.

This is not so much a movie about Henry VIII as it is about the guy that Henry VIII royally screwed over. "A Man for All Seasons" refers to Sir Thomas More, the Lord Chancellor of England and one of King Henry VIII's most trusted advisors. But for many kings, good counsel amounts to being told what they want to hear, and that's where More steps out of line. 

When King Henry VIII decides to seek a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, precipitating an unprecedented conflict with the Pope, he expects More to back his play. More refuses; he can't, in good conscience, go against the church. Paul Scofield plays Thomas More as a man of utmost honor, whose tragedy is his moral fortitude. There's a certain inevitability to the chain of events displayed in "A Man for All Seasons": both he and Henry VIII are larger-than-life figures with rigidly defined characters. Neither is capable of yielding, and both will suffer for it.

A fun thing about William Shakespeare is that he was frequently reliant on royal patronage or, at the very least, the crown's good favor. Ever wonder why there are so many plays written about English royalty? "Henry V" is perhaps one of the most famous Shakespearean plays about a former king of England, and it receives the blockbuster treatment in this 1989 adaptation from Kenneth Branagh. He both directs and stars in the film, which details the exploits of the young King Henry V, culminating in his famous underdog victory at Agincourt. 

Some audiences may prefer the earlier version of "Henry V" from Laurence Olivier, one of the greatest Shakespearean actors in cinematic history, but there's something about this interpretation that makes it a powerful adaptation of the text while still managing to be accessible to mainstream audiences. When Branagh launches into his famous St. Crispin's Day speech, he's got us hook, line, and sinker.

Is it kind of bizarre to have Englishman Robert Pattinson play a very campy version of the French dauphin and half-French Timothee Chalamet play one of the most famous English kings of all time? Honestly, that's just the sort of thing that makes "The King" a surprisingly delightful historical drama. Chalamet plays Henry V, a shiftless layabout grappling with his birthright as the future king of England. While he spends his youth drinking and whoring his way through London, when it's time for him to take up the crown, he somehow finds himself more than up for the challenge. 

"The King" takes us through his somewhat desperate efforts to be taken seriously as a ruler, until he wins the famous Battle of Agincourt, a victory that would cement his reputation throughout history. "The King" received mixed reviews when it was initially released, but the combined efforts of Chalamet, Joel Edgerton as Falstaff, and Pattinson as probably the most ridiculous Frenchman on screen since John Cleese in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" make it more than worth the watch.

Our vision of Queen Elizabeth I is largely defined by her later years, when she's a confident, mature leader beloved by her people after the violent and unstable reigns of her two siblings. "Elizabeth" offers an interpretation that reminds us that the famously competent monarch was, like everyone else, young once, and it is in her youth that she is molded into the dynamic ruler she would eventually become. Cate Blanchett brings a joy and energy to her performance, showing the charm and intelligence that would keep her safe even while being imprisoned by her older sister, Mary I, who was threatened by her as a rival. 

"Elizabeth" also shows the sacrifice that all monarchs must make, and how they must give up something of themselves in order to rule effectively. For Elizabeth, it would be some aspect of her womanhood, as she learns over the course of the film that her overt femininity would prevent her from being taken seriously at court, and that,  if she were to wed, she would lose her position of power. Blanchett is resplendent, and she would receive her first Oscar nomination for this performance.

In 1997, the British royal family was rocked by the untimely death of the beloved Princess Diana, as we see in the events of "The Queen." The nation was thrown into mourning, and the monarchy faced one of its most significant existential threats in modern history. The royal family had long developed a policy of state-sanctioned emotional repression, and they believed it was their responsibility as figureheads to remain stoic regardless of the situation. But that view would be dramatically challenged, as it became clear to everyone (except, perhaps, the Windsors) that the nation needed to see their grief.

Helen Mirren stars as Queen Elizabeth, and her performance is illuminating. She genuinely doesn't understand why the public would want to watch her or any of her family fall to pieces, and as we watch her stubbornly refuse to consider the evolving role of the monarchy, we are both frustrated by and empathetic to her. Mirren was nominated for an Oscar in 2006 for her work in "The Queen," and indeed she does a better job of delving into the psychology of Elizabeth than anyone else before or since.