Britain is all set to mark the landmark of Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years on the throne, with her Platinum Jubilee being celebrated over four days in the UK. Elizabeth, 96, completed seven decades as the country’s monarch in February. She is also the longest-lived and longest-reigning British monarch and longest-serving female head of state. Ahead of the start of the festivities on June 2, here are 10 of the top movies and TV shows — both fictional and reality — that are give insight into the British royal family.
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‘The Crown’ (Netflix): If you’ve ever wondered what life might have been like for the Queen in the past, then Netflix has you covered. The streamer has meticulously created a fictional but fascinating story full of the opulence of royal life and the drama that comes along with it, drawing from the Queen’s real life. The four-season historical drama is based on the award-winning play ‘The Audience’, by Peter Morgan, who is also a showrunner on the series. It follows Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times. It has been praised for the acting of its star-studded cast, which has included Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies and Helena Bonham Carter. However, royal historians have criticised the show for taking too many liberties with facts and interpretations of events that have taken place.
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‘The Royal House of Windsor’ (Netflix): Go back a little in history with this six-part series draws on new information and according to the official description “traces how the British royal family has survived the last 100 years of power struggles, politics and more.” The series starts from the First World War and the abdication of Edward VIII, and continues with topics such as the life of King George VI, the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and the rift between Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
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‘The King’s Speech’ (Netflix): While not directly related to Queen Elizabeth, this 2010 historical drama is one to watch. It won Colin Firth his first Oscar for Best Actor for his role as the future King George VI. The movie is set in the mid-1920s and follows George’s attempts to overcome his stammer with the help of Lionel Logue, an Australian speech and language therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. It was a critical and box office hit, bring in $427.4 million.
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‘Royals Declassified’ (OSN+): Over three episodes, this documentary series that was released in 2021 uses declassified archives and documents to “explore intriguing aspects of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, from her relationships with her Prime Ministers, to the spy in the palace.”
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‘By Royal Appointment’ (OSN+): Actor Hugh Bonneville, of ‘Downton Abbey’ fame, narrates this 2008 documentary that offers an in-depth look at the craftspeople who work as official suppliers to the royal family. These talented creators provide a variety of items and services such as cheese, tailoring, cobblers and carriage makers. In the six-part show, these official warrant holders share stories about their work and their years of royal service.
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‘Secrets of the Royal Wardrobe’ (OSN+): From wedding dresses to red carpets outfits, clothes worn by the royals have always been heavily admired and scrutinised. The dresses worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, on their wedding days were analysed from ever angle and are examples of the thought that goes into dressing royals. This documentary movie explores how royals ensure they always put their best couture-covered foot forward.
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‘The Royal Family: Affairs & Infidelities’ (OSN+): As we all know, the lives of the royals aren’t always sunshine and rainbows. In this documentary, royal watchers give viewers the secrets behind the affairs between Prince Charles and Camilla, and Princess Diana and riding instructor James Hewitt, among others.
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‘The Royal Family: Scandals and Shame at the Palace’(OSN+): This two-part series delves into some of the most shocking scandals to hit the royal family, such as Prince Harry’s Nazi costume and the royals’ constant battle with the tabloids.
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‘Meghan and Harry: Baby Fever’ (OSN+): If you missed out on all the excitement that surrounded the birth of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first child, son Archie, then this movie will catch you up. Little Archie was born on May 6, 2019, and this TV special chronicles the royal couple’s relationship and more.
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‘Princess Diana: Tragedy or Treason?’ (Starzplay): This movie was released in 2017, 20 years after the beloved Princess Diana died in a car crash in France on August 31, 1997. Her death was one of the most shocking events at the time and triggered an outpouring of grief all over the world. This documentary puts a spotlight on the life and death of a woman who came to be known as the ‘Queen Of People’s Hearts’.
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