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'.
The Crown: Season 1 (2016)
8.7/10
Starring: John Lithgow, Victoria Hamilton, Matt Smith, Claire Foy
The Crown focuses on Queen Elizabeth II as a 25-year-old newlywed faced with the daunting prospect of leading the world's most famous monarchy while f... Read more
The Crown: Season 2 (2017)
8.7/10
Starring: John Lithgow, Victoria Hamilton, Matt Smith, Claire Foy
Season 2 continues to follow the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th... Read more
Ridicule (1996)
7.5/10
Director: Patrice Leconte
Starring: Fanny Ardant, Charles Berling, Jean Rochefort, Judith Godreche, Bernard Giraudea...
A delightful tale of a young landowner who tries to obtain an audience with King Louis XVI in order to get grant money to drain a swamp. He soon disco... 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
Her Majesty Mrs Brown (1997)
Director: John Madden
Starring: Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, Geoffrey Palmer
Dame Judi Dench is flawless as the morose Queen Victoria mourning the death of spouse Albert. Billy Connelly plays the plain-speaking John Brown, the... Read more
Henry V (Branagh) (1989)
7.7/10
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Alec McCo...
An energetic, extraordinarily well-acted and perfectly cast version of Shakespeare's play adapted and directed by tyro-star Kenneth Branagh. Henry V i... Read more
The Favourite (Blu-Ray) (2018)
7.7/10
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Starring: Olivia Colman, Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Joe Alwyn, Mark Gatiss,...
In the early 18th century, England is at war with the French. Nevertheless, duck racing and pineapple eating are thriving. A frail Queen Anne occupies... Read more
Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
6.9/10
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Rhys Ifans, Samantha Morton, Jordi Mo...
The second installment in a proposed trilogy of the most momentous points of Elizabeth I's life, we now see Blanchett play her as a queen experienced... Read more
Becket (1964)
8/10
Director: Peter Glenville
Starring: Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud
Richard Burton and Peter O'Toole star in this grand historical drama adapted from the Jean Anouilh play about the tumultuous relationship of an archbi... Read more
Catherine the Great (2006)
6.3/10
Starring: Emily Bruni
One of Russia's most brilliant rulers, Catherine the Great, is the subject of this thrilling and extensively researched documentary/drama. Lavishly f... Read more