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
The Queen (2006)
7.3/10
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Syms, Alex Jennings
Helen Mirren is a dead ringer for Queen Elizabeth II in Stephen Frear's multiple award-winning film that centres on the aftermath of Princess Diana's... 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
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
Wallis and Edward (2005)
Director: Dave Moore
Starring: Stephen Campbell Moore, Joely Richardson, Clifford Rose, David Westhead, Miriam...
The infamous royal affair that ended the reign of Edward VIII, from the seldom-heard perspective of Wallis Simpson (played by Joely Richardson), the A... Read more
The King and the Clown (2005)
7.5/10
Director: Jun-ik Lee
Starring: Woo-seong Kam, Jin-young Jeong, Seong-Yeon Kang, Jun-gi Lee, Hang-Seon Jang, Hae...
South Korea's highest-grossing film of all time (until it was surpassed by 2006's 'The Host') is this period drama-comedy about a group of wandering m... 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
The Libertine (2004)
6.4/10
Director: Laurence Dunmore
Starring: Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton, John Malkovich, Rosamund Pike, Tom Hollander, Kell...
Johnny Depp plays the hedonistic writer John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, close friend of Charles II (John Malkovich) and a notorius figure in 17th cent... Read more
To Kill a King (2003)
6.2/10
Director: Mike Barker
Starring: Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Olivia Williams, James Bolam
1645: After years of civil war, King Charles I is overthrown and two heroes have emerged Lord General Thomas Fairfax and his best friend and deputy Ge... Read more
Bertie and Elizabeth (2002)
7.2/10
Director: Giles Foster
Starring: Eileen Atkins, Juliet Aubrey, Alan Bates, Elisabeth Dermot Walsh, Robert Hardy
James Wilby and Juliet Aubrey star in the intimate portrayal of the endearing love affair between the young Queen Mother Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and Albe... Read more