7 Royal Movies Streaming on Netflix That Are Crazier Than an Episode of Game of Thrones
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It's no secret that the British royal family has had its fair share of scandals, but compared to other royals throughout history, the current royals we know and love are actually pretty tame. From affairs and illegitimate heirs to decapitations, royal history is basically a Game of Thrones episode spanning over several centuries (except without the direwolves and dragons). While you're waiting for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new royal to be born (or waiting for the next GOT episode to premiere), here's some of the wildest royal flicks on Netflix right now — and yes, the stories are all totally true.
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The Other Boleyn Girl
Adapted from Philippa Gregory's 2001 novel of the same name, this historical romance stars Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman as 16th-century aristocrats Mary Boleyn, mistress of King Henry VIII, and her sister, Anne, who eventually became the monarch's ill-fated second wife. Is it entirely historically accurate? No. Is it entertaining? You betcha.
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The King's Speech
Colin Firth stars in this historical drama as the future King George VI (and eventual father of Queen Elizabeth II) who suffered from a stammer and sought out the help of an Australian speech and language therapist, hoping to make his first wartime radio broadcast on Britain's 1939 declaration of war on Germany with confidence. Though the premise doesn't sound terribly enthralling, the flick's 12 Oscar nominations and four wins seem to indicate otherwise.
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The Girl King
This biographical drama revolves around Sweden's famous 16th-century "virgin queen" Christina — the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and his wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg — who succeeded her father at the age of 6 upon his death. Brilliant, androgynous, and very likely queer, Queen Christina of Sweden is definitely one of the most interesting monarchs in history, even if this movie doesn't quite do her justice.
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The Black Prince
This fascinating flick tells the story of Maharaja Duleep Singh, who was placed on the throne at the age of 5 after the death of his father, but removed in 1849 when Punjab was annexed to British India. He was then placed under the guardianship of a British surgeon and sent to England, where he met Queen Victoria and the two began a relationship. If you don't know all that much about British colonial politics, then this one is for you.
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Outlaw King
Chris Pine stars in this 14th-century epic about a legendary warrior named Robert the Bruce who is forced into exile by the English after being crowned King of Scotland. While not terribly romantic, this film is still pretty epic, following Robert's battle to reclaim the throne with his outlaw army.
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The Last King
This 2015 historical drama tells the true story of the two 13th-century Birkebeiner loyalists who secretly protected the heir to the Norwegian throne, illegitimate infant Haakon Haakonsson, after the death of his father. Though half the kingdom wants to see the heir killed off, the decision to protect young Haakon ended up changing the course of the Norway's history forever.
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The Duchess
Based on Amanda Foreman's biography, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, this biographical drama follows the story of the 18th-century English aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish (played by Keira Knightley), who was contracted to marry William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire with the expectation that would produce a male heir. Disillusioned with her loveless marriage, Georgiana begins an affair with future prime minister Charles Grey. You can just imagine how well that goes over with the duke.