Shows and movies about the British monarchy streaming on Netflix that will get you psyched for the royal wedding
Hear ye, hear ye! We have less than a month until the wedding of the decade — aka Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal matrimony. As part of the preparation for this historic event, the stewards of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle have reportedly been given one noble task: To binge the legal drama Suits. This is to help familiarize themselves with Meghan’s friends who might be coming to the royal wedding, and have you ever heard anything more precious than that?
“I’ve told the stewards to get Netflix and watch Suits, so they know who everyone is at the wedding,” Hugo Vickers, Captain of the Lay Stewards, dished to the Daily Mail.
If the stewards are doing their homework by lounging in front of the TV, shouldn’t we be doing the same? As mere commoners and longtime fans of the British monarchy, we, too, should start prepping for the big day by indulging in royal-related shows and movies.
And so we’ve done you all a favor and rounded up all the interesting regal titles found on Netflix to hold you over until May 19th. Now all you have to do is prepare some tea, stock up on biscuits, and get to binging.
1. The Crown [/listhsubheadereader]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWtnJjn6ng0?feature=oembed
This one’s pretty much a no-brainer. The Crown, starring Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II and Matt Smith as Prince Philip, largely explores the queen’s younger years and tells the story of her ascendancy to the throne, along with the politics and drama of it all, of course. Stream it here.
2. The Royals
Not to be confused with the E! series, The Royals is a 6-part documentary centered around the royal family (Queen Elizabeth, Prince Phillip, Prince Charles, and even Prince William and Prince Harry) told through the lens of the people in the know. It examines all aspects of the royal life, from weddings to babies, from scandals to *wait for it* PETS. Stream it here.
3. The Tudors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXNf9dxnQrM?feature=oembed
If you want to travel back in time to know more about King Henry VIII, then this show is for you. Starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the king, the raunchy series primarily revolves around his reign, detailing his relationships with all his six wives (!), interspersed with all the intrigue and scandals surrounding the Tudor clan. Stream it here.
4. Reign
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7e0IlLucs?feature=oembed
While this CW-drama isn’t exactly an accurate depiction of Mary, Queen of Scots’ rise to power, it makes up for it through fancy costumes and juicy storylines. Think Gossip Girl set in the 16th century, and you’ve got Reign. Stream it here.
5. The Young Victoria
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpGzwnHpA5c?feature=oembed
Starring the phenomenal Emily Blunt and produced by Martin Scorsese, The Young Victoria is a film about the early years of Queen Victoria’s rule, from her life as a teenage ruler up to her romance with Prince Albert and the birth of their first child. Stream it here.
6. The Duchess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFg-oduezDs?feature=oembed
A film where Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes both star as English royalty? Count us in! The Duchess chronicles the tragic life of Georgiana Cavendish, the 18th century It Girl who’s loved by everyone but her husband, and shamelessly brandishes his affairs with other women. Determined to make a difference, the Duchess of Devonshire became passionate about politics and did everything to aid in reform, despite knowing that women don’t have the right to vote. Fun fact: Georgiana was the great-great-great-great-aunt of the late Princess Diana. Stream it here.
7. A Royal Night Out
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaF-HdgZVU8?feature=oembed
With the end World War II as its backdrop, A Royal Night Out is a romantic comedy flick about two young princesses, Elizabeth (now the queen) and Margaret. Inspired by real-life events, it tells the story of how the teenage royals spent their one and only night out of Buckingham Palace to celebrate with the common folk on Victory in Europe Day, and how they made it one of the best nights of their lives. Stream it here.
8. Hyde Park on Hudson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic3rsg6mQlA?feature=oembed
While this film is largely focused on the life and affairs of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, it features the events that happened on one fateful weekend, when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited F.D.R’s family home in upstate New York to ask for his support as Britain gears up for war with Germany. Stream it here.
9. Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute
Narrated by Prince Charles, with additional commentary from Prince Harry, Prince William, and other family members, this documentary will send anglophiles into a frenzy with its up close and personal look into the life of the longest reigning monarch. It features never-before-seen home movies shot by the queen herself, as well as interviews with the people close to her. Stream it here.
10. The Windsors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GvHVCguMS0?feature=oembed
Marketed as a show about “the royal family as you’ve never seen them before,” The Windsors is a hilarious parody about the lives of the folks at the Kensington Palace. Don’t worry if you find some of the jokes a bit over the top; Prince William already gave it a two thumbs up. Stream it here.
11. The Royal House of Windsor
Now if you really want accurate #tea on the royal family, focus your attention on this six-part docu-series that offers history lessons on the origins of The Windsors. It takes us on a journey from 100 years back, when they were still called the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, explaining the events that transpired that shaped the family into who they are today. Stream it here.
12. Diana: 7 Days that Shook the World
Diana’s sudden and tragic death in 1997 left the whole world in mourning. And while it instantly became a worldwide phenomenon, we don’t know all the things that happened behind closed doors. This documentary details the intense seven days leading up to the People’s Princess funeral, featuring interviews with Diana’s staff, reporters, and members of the public. Stream it here.
13. Diana: In Her Own Words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfaTLTo3250?feature=oembed
Produced by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Tom Jennings, Diana: In Her Own Words gives us an intimate glimpse of the beloved princess’ life. Unlike other documentaries, this one is narrated by Diana herself, and we get to hear her talk about the high points of her life (the birth of her sons and her world-famous haircut) as well as her tragic experiences (her struggle with bulimia and tumultuous marriage with Prince Charles). Stream it here.
14. Prince Philip: The Plot to Make A King
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwayXlBrF60?feature=oembed
We all know Prince Philip as the king with #nofilter. But what made him that way? Is it a troubled upbringing? Or perhaps his alleged connections to the Third Reich? Prince Philip: the Plot to Make a King is a revelatory documentary about the life of the Duke of Edinburgh, from his early years up to his then-controversial marriage with the queen, which is believed to be fixed by his uncle, Lord Mountbatten. Stream it here.
15. Secrets of Her Majesty’s Secret Service
So you now know everything there is to know about the queen, but what about the men who risk their lives to protect her? Secrets of Her Majesty’s Secret Service delves into the mysteries and inner workings of world’s oldest intelligent agency or MI6, also known as Agent 007 James Bond’s home. Stream it here.
16. Secrets of Althorp: The Spencers
Can’t get enough of Princess Diana? This documentary gives us an exclusive tour of the Althorp House, Diana’s childhood residence, and final resting place. Led by Diana’s brother Earl Spencer, we get not only a private tour of the house but also some insider scoop on the generations of Spencers that lived in the estate. Stream it here.
17. Secrets of Westminster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXojHOL2Rsk?feature=oembed
How about a little trip featuring the famous landmarks of London? Secrets of Westminster provides us a tour of the Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, and Westminster Abbey, and lets us in on the secrets that live inside their walls. Stream it here.
