We have always held a long-standing fascination with royalty as the subject of derision, praise, critique, pride, and general fascination. The people we call “royals” live lives that are remarkable for their intersection with wealth, historical significance, and public interest. This sub-genre sits at the intersection of many popular genres, including the biopic and the period drama, as well as occasional thematically venturing into the ghostly (Spencer) or the comedic (The Favourite). But center this story on a woman whose political power suddenly is placed in direct contradiction with her social status, and suddenly you’ve got a much more compelling story. We’ve put together a list of our favorite movies about real-life female royals.
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The Other Boleyn Girl
The Other Boleyn Girladapts the romance-novel retelling of Anne Boleyn by authorPhilippa Gregory. This version of the love story between Anne (Natalie Portman) and Henry (Eric Bana) begins with a plot to install Anne as Henry’s mistress while he is still married to his first wife Catherine. But their first meeting puts them off to a bad start, and Henry takes up with Anne’s sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) instead.
Anne and Mary are sent to Henry’s court so that the affair may continue. After the sisters have a falling-out, Anne charms Henry while Mary is bedridden with a difficult pregnancy. This version of events has Anne scheming to pull Henry’s strings, convincing him to break with the church of England so that he may annul his first marriage and marry her instead. Anne quickly becomes pregnant with Elizabeth, who would go on to be one of England’s most famous rulers.
But Henry (famous for his multiple wives divorced/beheaded) is furious at Anne for not producing a male heir. When rumors of an incestuous affair reach him, he has the excuse he needs to have her executed, so that he may marry his current mistress. This historical drama is far from the prestige approach many take in the retelling of events, instead opting for a style that borders on soap opera. Check this out if you (like us) don’t believe in the term “guilty pleasure”.
The Duchess
The Duchessis yet another historical drama based on a novel – the biography of Georgiana Cavendish, who was Duchess of Devonshire in the 18th century. Georgiana’s status is significantly lower than the Queen of England, but she is still titled, and as such shares in Anne’s struggle to prove her worth by producing a male heir for her husband. The marriage between Georgiana (Keira Knightley) and William (Ralph Fiennes) is a loveless one, and William makes no attempt to hide his infidelities.
Georgiana enters into an extramarital affair, but unlike her husband, she can’t get away with it. He attempts to force her to break off the affair, and she is punished socially when the affair becomes public knowledge. She has a child with her lover, but is only allowed to visit the child in secret.
The Duchesscomes amid Knightley’s winning streak of period dramas, a genre in which she always shines playing complicated characters. Georgiana is a subject of fascination partially for the way her story parallels that of her great-niece Princess Diana, another woman who married an older man only to quickly become disillusioned by his affairs and later punished for engaging in the same behavior.
Elizabethfollows one of England’s longest-reigning monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett). The film starts with the death of Elizabeth’s older sister, Queen Mary, quickly followed by Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne. Much of the film follows Elizabeth and her advisors as they bring England out of a dark spot and into a new age, which, under her reign, would later be recorded as a Golden Age of England.
The other half of the film’s narrative is dedicated to Elizabeth’s resistance to choosing a husband. Elizabeth learns quickly strategies for gaining and keeping power, as her status as a single woman on the throne puts her in a constantly perilous state of being.
Elizabeth does have a secret lover throughout the film, but after his betrayal, she dramatically proclaims herself married to England, a stance she would not change for the rest of her life and reign. Cate Blanchett was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her portrayal of Elizabeth, which was as magnificent as you’d expect.
Our next entry is about another Queen Elizabeth; Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren), specifically focused on the time after the death of Princess Diana, whose death comes months after Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) is elected Prime Minister. The public outpouring of grief for Diana is acknowledged by Blair, but not by the royal family.
After the public begins to turn on the royal family, Blair manages to convince the Queen to give some acknowledgment of the country’s loss. The film was written byPeter Morgan, the showrunner of Netflix’s excellent historical drama seriesThe Crown, which also follows Queen Elizabeth II and her family.
Morgan’s portrayals of the royal family always balance critique with sympathy, and while for some, may lean too far into storybook reverence for a custom that feels dated, it’s this attitude that also, one may argue, might be what make these stories worth telling.
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinetteis theSofia Coppolaversion of France’s infamous queen. The film begins with Antoinette’s (Kirsten Dunst) marriage to Louis (Jason Schwartzman), the future King of France. The two aren’t able to conceive initially, and Antoinette grows bored with her life in the French court. She takes advantage of the surrounding wealth, and soon remakes the court in her own chosen image of extravagance.
Once Louis is crowned king, France’s financial state suffers greatly. It’s the queen who bears the brunt of the public’s disfavor in response to the financial crisis, and this unrest builds to the French Revolution. The film ends with Louis and Marie fleeing France.
Coppola brings her signature style to this retelling of real historical events, and in doing so creates a wholly unique and entertaining version unlike anything we’ve seen from the genre before. It’s gorgeous, frothy, and fun in a way that not many other films of this kind get to be, and we love it for that.
The Favourite
The brilliant talents ofYorgos LanthimosandTony McNamaracame together to createThe Favourite, the story of women of court vying for the affection of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman). Anne is one of the less-successful English queens, but as the monarch of England she is still one of the most powerful people in the world. She is under the influence of Lady Sarah (Rachel Weisz), her lover and best friend.
This relationship is threatened by the arrival of Abigail (Emma Stone), who proves to be a rival for Anne’s affections. What follows is a darkly comedic story of a love triangle amongst the three women, with ultimately no real winners.
The film features excellent writing, direction, and performances, and was nominated for many awards. Among these awards was an Academy Award for Best Picture, as well as a win for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Colman.
Pablo Larraíntells another story of a woman in crisis withSpencer, the story of the Christmas holiday when Diana Spencer (Kristen Stewart) decided to leave her husband. Diana’s mental state during this time is reflected in the haunting atmosphere (Diana is literally haunted by the ghost of Anne Boleyn).
Prince Charles’s refusal to stop his affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles takes its toll on Diana and the marriage. Much is made of Diana’s inability to lose herself in the rigid customs of the English royal family, and the price of her assimilation is her sanity. She’s treated with indifference and hostility by nearly everyone but her sons, with whom the film faithfully portrays Diana’s well-documented loving relationship.
Many believe this is Stewart’s best performance to date, and it’s certainly up there among her best work. She has earned her first Academy Award nomination for her work, and her performance is backed by gorgeous visuals and a beautiful score by composerJohnny Greenwood.
