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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 Sissi Collection (1990)

Director: Ernst Marischka
Starring: Romy Schneider

The beautiful Romy Schneider stars in three captivating films (plus a prequel) based on the tumultuous life of the beloved Austrian Empress, Sissi. Th... Read more

Hamlet (Gibson) (1990)

7.8/10
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Starring: Alan Bates, Glenn Close, Mel Gibson, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Cart...

'God has given you one face, and you make yourselves another' wrote William Shakespeare in his classic tale of vengeance and obsession. Franco Zeffire... 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 Last Emperor ( Blu-ray ) (1987)

7.8/10
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Starring: Joan Chen, John Lone, Peter O'Toole, Victor Wong

A stunning milestone in the history of cinema; John Lone stars as Pu Yi, emperor of China, who comes from a long history of a tradition that is irreve... Read more

The Last Emperor (1987)

7.8/10
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Starring: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Victor Wong

A stunning milestone in the history of cinema; John Lone stars as Pu Yi, emperor of China, who comes from a long history of a tradition that is irreve... Read more

Lady Jane (1985)

7.2/10
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Cary Elwes, John Wood

An excellent costume drama about Lady Jane Grey, accidental successor to the British throne after the deaths of Henry VIII and his son, Edward VI. A w... Read more

By the Sword Divided: Series 1 (1983)

7.6/10
Director: Henry Herbert, Michael Custance, Brian Farnham, Diarmuid Lawrence
Starring: Julian Glover, Andrew MacLachlan, Rob Edwards, Jeremy Clyde, Tim Bentinck, Lucy...

Produced by the BBC, this epic historical drama series is set during the English Civil War and follows the changing loyalties and wrenching conflict w... Read more

Antony And Cleopatra (BBC) (1981)

5.9/10
Director: Jonathan Miller
Starring: Colin Blakely, Janet Key, Jane Lapotaire, John Paul, Esmond Knight, Ian Charleso...

Colin Blakely and Jan Lapataire star in this BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's passionate tale. Mark Antony, one of the three rulers of the Roman Empire... Read more

Edward and Mrs Simpson: The Complete Series (1978)

Director: Waris Hussein
Starring: Edward Fox, Cynthia Harris, Marius Goring, Peggy Ashcroft

On the evening of December 11, 1936, England's King Edward VIII formally broadcast his farewell to a nation. Torn between duty and love, he had decide... Read more

Edward the Seventh: The Complete Series (1975)

Director: John Gorrie
Starring: Annette Crosbie, Charles Dance, Derek Fowlds, Francesca Annis, Jane Lapotaire, J...

Directed by John Gorrie ('The Oscar Wilde Collection'), this BAFTA-winning drama focuses around the life of Edward VII and the dramas, romances, trage... Read more