Royal families have captivated people all over the world for centuries. For millennia, royal families have experienced successes, tragedies, and power conflicts. It seems like an attractive topic for movie producers. So it's not strange that their stories, as well as those of their forefathers, have been replayed over and over again in cinema and television. They may occasionally even inspire the production of television shows and movies.
Many actors and actresses have had the opportunity to play former and current royals in films and television shows based on both history and fiction. Some have resulted in award-winning performances that critics and viewers admire, while others have been roundly criticized and mocked.
We questioned how many actors got the chance to portray members of the royal family on screen and who among them was the best. So we decided to compile a list of the top 15 actors who have played members of the royal family. Scroll down to enjoy and leave your comments below!
The most notorious British king is King Henry VIII. His life has thus been the subject of numerous movies and television programs. Lewis gives the least stereotypical portrayal of the Tudor king in "Wolf Hall."
The British actress Emily Watson was Kapur's first choice for the role, but she declined it. Blanchett was later cast in a considerably less successful sequel in 2007. Soon after, Cate Blanchett was chosen, and her energetic performance helped the movie transcend its meager goals and become something more fascinating.
It's understandable why Focus Features, the film's distributor, started with this. Two of today's greats are Ronan and Robbie. But this movie isn't a fight scene. Ronan is the director of the movie "Mary Queen of Scots." Ronan does a fantastic job of portraying Mary as a fumbling, medieval jumble of vulnerability and bravado.
For those who are unfamiliar with Lanthimos's work, he is frequently referred to be the "lord of the Greek strange wave"—a group of Greek filmmakers renowned for their distinct style of the frightening, eccentric, and profoundly creative film.
With a performance that is unusually aggressive, humorous, and devoted, Colman equals Lanthimos on every level in "The Favourite," which is no exception. She is a new kind of royal that we have never seen.
"Shakespeare in Love"'s plot is launched by Dench's funny and frightful portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I. It has since served as the primary inspiration for all other on-screen representations of England's Virgin Queen. During her acceptance speech at the 1999 Oscars, Dench referred to her limited screen time: "I feel for eight minutes on the screen. I should only get a little bit of him,".
Hooper, who seems to think of himself as a visual rebel, frequently forces his camera up against Firth's face at an uncomfortable angle, leaving inappropriate amounts of negative space — the space around the main subject in an image — in the frame.
This was likely Hooper's attempt to capture the feeling of alienation Firth's King George experienced when he was confined in his elocution lessons and battling his voice stutter, but it falls flat. However, Firth's acting is delightful.
The worst, though, is "Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace" in 2021. In the movie, the couple's separation from the royal family is shown.
Throughout the movie, there are several poor recreations of the couple's experiences. Sydney Morton plays Meghan in "Escaping the Palace," but she is devoted to Lifetime's cheesy theatricality. She knows the joke, and it shows in her act.
The early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign as monarch have never been thoroughly depicted on television or in a movie before Peter Morgan's excellent series "The Crown."
"The Young Victoria" was one of the earliest motion pictures to dramatize the difficult early years of Queen Victoria's reign and the beginnings of her love affair with Prince Albert. Sarah, Duchess of York, who later approached Graham King, the movie's producer, with the concept, first came up with it.
Emily Blunt, who plays a fascinating Queen, does everything in her ability to transform the movie's modest subject matter into something more royal and fascinating.
In all of Queen Elizabeth's reign, this was the most turbulent and scandalous time. The spectator is left wondering why this mother (Mirren's Elizabeth) was so icily callous and insensitive to her daughter-in-passing laws after watching Morgan push past the apparent towards the end of the film.
Her performance also produced some of the best internet memes that a Netflix drama could hope to produce.
But Carter's Margaret was impolite, resentful, and unyielding. That is a much more true portrayal of Margaret's personality even in her earlier years, according to historians (and rumors). Carter ends up on this list as a result.
The episode is focused on the little-known truth that Mountbatten was once asked to organize a coup against the British government to usher in an unelected administration that he would preside over. "The Crown" slightly exaggerates the truth; in reality, Mountbatten is claimed to have rejected the offer right away, labeling it treason. In "The Crown," however, Dance deliberates and concocts plans until the Queen restrains him. The television is exciting!
In "The Crown" first two seasons, Smith played Phillip alongside Claire Foy's Elizabeth. Additionally, Phillip's storyline in the show was rather straightforward: an ambitious man feels overshadowed by his wife. Even less intriguing was how Phillip handled his situation (infidelity, moaning). However, Smith's portrayal was marked by an emotional tension that compelled people to empathize. An impressive feat!
Stewart's Diana in "Spencer" is lost and frail; after being thrown into public life, she has not yet realized the power she possesses. However, she has decided to seize control by the end of the movie. This is similar to Stewart's career in many aspects, who gained popularity with the film adaptations of "Twilight" series and subsequently appeared hesitantly in several mindless Hollywood franchises before finding her artistic voice in Europe's art houses.
Many actors and actresses have had the opportunity to play former and current royals in films and television shows based on both history and fiction. Some have resulted in award-winning performances that critics and viewers admire, while others have been roundly criticized and mocked.
We questioned how many actors got the chance to portray members of the royal family on screen and who among them was the best. So we decided to compile a list of the top 15 actors who have played members of the royal family. Scroll down to enjoy and leave your comments below!
#1 Damian Lewis as Henry VIII
Source: BBC
The most notorious British king is King Henry VIII. His life has thus been the subject of numerous movies and television programs. Lewis gives the least stereotypical portrayal of the Tudor king in "Wolf Hall."
#2 Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I.
Source: Universal Studios
The British actress Emily Watson was Kapur's first choice for the role, but she declined it. Blanchett was later cast in a considerably less successful sequel in 2007. Soon after, Cate Blanchett was chosen, and her energetic performance helped the movie transcend its meager goals and become something more fascinating.
#3 Saoirse Ronan as Mary Queen of Scots.
Source: Focus Features
It's understandable why Focus Features, the film's distributor, started with this. Two of today's greats are Ronan and Robbie. But this movie isn't a fight scene. Ronan is the director of the movie "Mary Queen of Scots." Ronan does a fantastic job of portraying Mary as a fumbling, medieval jumble of vulnerability and bravado.
#4 Olivia Coleman as Queen Anne.
Source: Fox Searchlight.
For those who are unfamiliar with Lanthimos's work, he is frequently referred to be the "lord of the Greek strange wave"—a group of Greek filmmakers renowned for their distinct style of the frightening, eccentric, and profoundly creative film.
With a performance that is unusually aggressive, humorous, and devoted, Colman equals Lanthimos on every level in "The Favourite," which is no exception. She is a new kind of royal that we have never seen.
#5 Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I.
Source: Miramax Films
"Shakespeare in Love"'s plot is launched by Dench's funny and frightful portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I. It has since served as the primary inspiration for all other on-screen representations of England's Virgin Queen. During her acceptance speech at the 1999 Oscars, Dench referred to her limited screen time: "I feel for eight minutes on the screen. I should only get a little bit of him,".
#6 Colin Firth as King George VI.
Source: Momentum Pictures
Hooper, who seems to think of himself as a visual rebel, frequently forces his camera up against Firth's face at an uncomfortable angle, leaving inappropriate amounts of negative space — the space around the main subject in an image — in the frame.
This was likely Hooper's attempt to capture the feeling of alienation Firth's King George experienced when he was confined in his elocution lessons and battling his voice stutter, but it falls flat. However, Firth's acting is delightful.
#7 Sydney Morton as Meghan Markle.
Source: Lifetime
The worst, though, is "Harry & Meghan: Escaping the Palace" in 2021. In the movie, the couple's separation from the royal family is shown.
Throughout the movie, there are several poor recreations of the couple's experiences. Sydney Morton plays Meghan in "Escaping the Palace," but she is devoted to Lifetime's cheesy theatricality. She knows the joke, and it shows in her act.
#8 Claire Foy as Elizabeth II.
Source: Netflix
The early years of Queen Elizabeth II's reign as monarch have never been thoroughly depicted on television or in a movie before Peter Morgan's excellent series "The Crown."
#9 Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria
Source: Momentum Pictures
"The Young Victoria" was one of the earliest motion pictures to dramatize the difficult early years of Queen Victoria's reign and the beginnings of her love affair with Prince Albert. Sarah, Duchess of York, who later approached Graham King, the movie's producer, with the concept, first came up with it.
Emily Blunt, who plays a fascinating Queen, does everything in her ability to transform the movie's modest subject matter into something more royal and fascinating.
#10 Helen Mirren as Elizabeth II.
Source: Pathé Distribution
In all of Queen Elizabeth's reign, this was the most turbulent and scandalous time. The spectator is left wondering why this mother (Mirren's Elizabeth) was so icily callous and insensitive to her daughter-in-passing laws after watching Morgan push past the apparent towards the end of the film.
#11 Emma Corrin as Princess Diana.
Source: Des Willie/Netflix
Her performance also produced some of the best internet memes that a Netflix drama could hope to produce.
#12 Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret.
Source: Des Willie/Netflix
But Carter's Margaret was impolite, resentful, and unyielding. That is a much more true portrayal of Margaret's personality even in her earlier years, according to historians (and rumors). Carter ends up on this list as a result.
#13 Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten.
Source: Netflix
The episode is focused on the little-known truth that Mountbatten was once asked to organize a coup against the British government to usher in an unelected administration that he would preside over. "The Crown" slightly exaggerates the truth; in reality, Mountbatten is claimed to have rejected the offer right away, labeling it treason. In "The Crown," however, Dance deliberates and concocts plans until the Queen restrains him. The television is exciting!
#14 Matt Smith as Prince Phillip.
Source: Netflix
In "The Crown" first two seasons, Smith played Phillip alongside Claire Foy's Elizabeth. Additionally, Phillip's storyline in the show was rather straightforward: an ambitious man feels overshadowed by his wife. Even less intriguing was how Phillip handled his situation (infidelity, moaning). However, Smith's portrayal was marked by an emotional tension that compelled people to empathize. An impressive feat!
#15 Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana.
Source: Neon
Stewart's Diana in "Spencer" is lost and frail; after being thrown into public life, she has not yet realized the power she possesses. However, she has decided to seize control by the end of the movie. This is similar to Stewart's career in many aspects, who gained popularity with the film adaptations of "Twilight" series and subsequently appeared hesitantly in several mindless Hollywood franchises before finding her artistic voice in Europe's art houses.