Royalty
Around the world, people have a fascination for those born into privilege. And at the top of the heap are those born into royalty, groomed from a young age to take on the responsibilities, and perks, of leadership. From Queen Cleopatra to King Henry VIII to the current Queen of England, filmmakers, like their audiences, have taken a keen interest in what makes these people tick, always trying to expose something of their private lives and challenges, and perhaps even making them seem as human as the rest of us.
Pictured: Queen Bette in 'The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex'.
Marie Antoinette (2006)
6.4/10
Director: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis, Kirsten Dunst, Rip Torn, Steve Coogan, Shirley He...
Kirsten Dunst stars as the ill-fated French queen in Sofia Coppola's lavish take on the bloated 18th century monarchy. Betrothed to young Louis XVI (... Read more
Marquise (1997)
6/10
Director: Vera Belmont
Starring: Sophie Marceau, Thierry Lhermitte, Lambert Wilson
A sprightly, lavish costume drama based on the fetching dancer-cum-thesp who dazzled Moliere, Racine and the Sun King himself before making a suitably... Read more
Mary Queen of Scots (2018)
6.3/10
Director: Josie Rourke
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, David Tennant, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn,...
Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary Stuart defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful t... Read more
Mary Queen of Scots (Blu-Ray) (2018)
6.3/10
Director: Josie Rourke
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Guy Pearce, David Tennant, Jack Lowden, Joe Alwyn,...
Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary Stuart defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful t... Read more
Mary, Queen of Scots (2013)
5.5/10
Director: Thomas Imbach
Starring: Clive Russell, Tony Curran, Bruno Todeschini, Edward Hogg, Mehdi Dehbi, Camille...
Less of a sumptuous period piece (although those elements are there), Imbachs look at one of the worlds most intriguing historical, female figurehea... Read more
Mary, Queen of Scots (1971)
7.5/10
Director: Charles Jarrott
Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson, Timothy Dalton, Patrick McGoohan, Nigel Davenp...
A resplendent historical tale of ambition and betrayal, capturing the intense rivalry between Queen Elizabeth I (Academy Award winner Glenda Jackson)... Read more
Monarchy: Series 1 (2004)
8.1/10
Director: David Wilson
Starring: David Starkey
Dr David Starkey travels back through the history of the British monarchy, beginning with the violence and chaos of the Dark Ages, and eventually endi... Read more
Monarchy: Series 2 (2005)
6.1/10
Starring: David Starkey
Dr David Starkey presents the second series of his history of the British monarchy, beginning in the savage maelstrom of the Wars of the Roses. The Tu... Read more
Monarchy: Series 3 (2006)
6.1/10
Starring: David Starkey
Dr David Starkey presents the third series of his complete history of the British Monarchy. In this series, Starkey explores the period dating from 16... Read more
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
7.3/10
Director: Franklin J Schaffner
Starring: Michael Jayston, Janet Suzman, Harry Andrews, Tom Baker, Michael Bryant, Maurice...
The epic, lavish, yet ultimately tragic true story of Tsar Nicholas II (Michael Jayston), a man who lost an empire because he couldn't say 'no' to his... Read more