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'.
Sweeping historic epic set in France in 1671 and starring Gerard Depardieu as Francois Vatel, a steward for the near-bankrupt Prince de Conde. While... Read more
This lavishly produced, epic historical drama is set in the third century B.C. and tells the multi-faceted story of the man who became the first Emper... Read more
Before the Golden Age, Elizabeth was a passionate and naive girl who came to reign over a land divided by bloody turmoil. Amid palace intrigue and att... Read more
Before the Golden Age, Elizabeth was a passionate and naive girl who came to reign over a land divided by bloody turmoil. Amid palace intrigue and att... Read more
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
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
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
A film version of Alan Bennett's play about the life of one of Britain's most eccentric kings, George III. After thirty years on the throne, George (N... Read more
An intelligent and moving epic based on a Dumas' novel of the events surrounding the notorious St Bartholemew's Day massacre in 16th Century France. T... Read more
Derek Jarman uses Christopher Marlowe's classic play about the 14th century monarch for this daring cinematic treatise on gay love and its place in th... Read more