The Most Romantic Royal Christmas Movies You Need to See
Disclosure: I love finding new items or products and sharing them with you. This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Thank you!
Love, lust, betrayal, escape, and drama and that’s just a typical year for the British Royal Family.
As tantalizing as those topics are, this Christmas you’re probably scrolling through your streams waiting to land on that magical, fairytale movie glistening in Christmas magic? Or maybe you want to watch something mindless and feel-good while mastering royal icing in an attempt to replicate those Christmas cookies you found on TikTok (check out the Graceful Baker for her gorgeous designs).
Whatever it is you do as you prepare the house by throwing stars and tinsel around, I’ve got a list of royal escapism sure to keep you busy for the next 31.5 hours.
Cue the romantic royal Christmas movie
These formulaic masterpieces are gaining in popularity and for good reason. They are easy to digest, the visuals are stunning, and who doesn’t love the mistaken-identity-who-happens-to-be-a-Prince love story? Just look at the newly built Netflix Holiday Universe (yes that’s it’s real name); it’s a wonderland of holiday romance with a royal twist. I’d say watch out Hallmark, but they have plenty of their own romantic royal flicks that have been feeding our fantasies for years.
Let’s be honest though, none of these are Oscar contenders and you knew that. You’re just looking to be dazzled by the idea of it all and want to see pretty costumes and decor that convince you Christmas magic is alive and well. Perhaps you’ll get together with friends and binge watch the shit out of these films, but more likely they’ll fill the room with background noise as you dust off your holiday outfits, in order to look like the Queen that you already are this holiday season.
I’ve rated each of these cheesy fictional fairy tales based on exactly how well they accomplish the visual magic and love story of the season, and if they include crowns and fancy gowns then I’ve rated them way up there on the watchability scale. So without further ado –
Once upon a time in a faraway land….
The Ultimate List of Romantic Royal Christmas Movies
A Castle for Christmas
Netflix, 2021 1h 38m
A Castle for Christmas stars Brooke Shields, Carey Elwes, Vanessa Grasse, Suanne Braun, and Andi Osho.
The fairytale plot: A romantic film that follows a bestselling author who, to escape a scandal, travels to Scotland where she falls in love with a castle and just maybe, the duke who owns it. Omg it’s everything we could attain for ourselves girls! A duke isn’t quite a Prince so they’re easier to bag, and who doesn’t love a castle in winter. Also I had a major Crush on Cary Elwes back in the day, so glad we’re aging in parallel.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Edinburgh, Dalmeny House
Romance and Magic Rating: 7/10
Crowns and Gowns: 10 / 10
A tartan gown. Enough said.
A Christmas In Royal Fashion
Amazon, 2018 1h 30m
The fairytale plot: A handsome prince named Patrick hopes to convince an American fashion company to bring more business to his kingdom. He sponsors a Christmas fashion show and charity auction, where he meets an intriguing young assistant named Kristin. Let the bidding commence.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Los Angeles
Romance and Magic Rating: 2/10
Crowns and Gowns: 2/10
A Christmas Prince 2017
Netflix, 2017 1hr 32m
The fairytale plot: The Prince of Aldovia (fictional European kingdom) is at a crossroads after the death of his father. Will he continue to be the playboy he currently is and never settle down, or will he assume his father’s throne. His decision is to be announced at the annual Christmas Eve ball (the anticipation of it is almost too much to handle). Enter our fledgling American magazine journalist (I mean is there any other kind?) and mistaken identity is what’s needed to get her in front of the prince so she can dazzle him with all her attributes and assets (it’s rated PG so no it’s not like that). A modern-day handsome prince and a beautiful smart young woman in a magnificent kingdom in the snow surrounded by elegance and grand ballrooms, this is your film for the year. Thank Netflix.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 10/10
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding
Netflix, 2018 1hr 33m
The fairytale plot: Looks like things went really well between our fledgling American magazine journalist, Amber, and the Prince of Aldovia, Richard, so much so that they are tying the knot. Get ready for one epic royal wedding. Like I cannot even handle Christmas + wedding. I would get remarried every year during the holidays if I could. It’s so picture perfect. And to be a ROYAL and getting married at Christmas, I cannot even breathe right now.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 10/10
Crowns and Gowns: 9/ 10
A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby
Netflix, 2019 1hr 25m
The fairytale plot: All of Aldovia eagerly waits for the arrival of a new prince or princess, ‘cause we already know how that love story has played out in part 1 and part 2 in this magical little royal Christmas series. However, we now have a Queen Amber who was a fledgling American journalist who is now married to King Richard and they are delighted and nervous about the arrival of their first child. Christmas magic is abound in this film through fabulous decor, outfits, music and jewels.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 9/10
Crowns and Gowns: 8/10
A Prince For Christmas
Amazon Prime, 2015 1h 27m
The fairytale plot: I honestly can’t even keep these title’s straight at this point. Just type Prince and Christmas into your search and you’re bound to find one of these 75 movies pop up as suggestions. This particular movie is about an ordinary blonde from a small town falling in love with Prince Duncan who she happens to help on the side of the road because his car has broken down. I will never drive past a strange man on the side of the road ever again let me tell you. Let the holiday magic begin.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 6/10
Crowns and Gowns: 1/10
A Princess For Christmas
Hallmark, 2011 1h 31m
The fairytale plot: This film has juice. I’m not sure if you’ve seen Outlander but Sam Heughan (who plays Jamie in Outlander), stars in A Princess for Christmas film as Ashton, the prince who is about to fall in love with a down and out girl from New York. It’s a touching plot that’s a bit questionable, but we never asked for factuality from these movies did we? Let’s just go along for the ride and enjoy the magic of a Christmas royal romance. Also a word of note: both A Prince for Christmas and A Princess for Christmas center around the male as the royal who rescues sweeps the females off their feet. Suho…you know patriarchy is alive and well in these fantasy stories.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 4/10
Watch Outlander if you’re looking for a more grown up fantasy that involves kilts and lairds.
You will not be disappointed
A Royal Christmas Ball
Amazon, 2017 1h 26m
The fairytale plot: The one true love story. This movie is about a King whose wife has died and now he is free to find love with his college sweetheart, who didn’t even know he was royal. Quelle horreur! But, our little college gal has a naughty secret and you’ll never guess what it is.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Hotel del Coronado, San Diego, California and Malibu
Romance and Magic Rating: 6/10
Crowns and Gowns: 4/10
A Royal Christmas
Hallmark, 2014 1h 30m
The fairytale plot: Princes are so sneaky because you can never figure out who they are. Yet another hidden identity film about falling in love with a secret member of a royal family. Clearly none of these movies have paparazzi or these royals are all based on those defunct European royal families who only show up when one of them gets married and the last time their family had any real notability or power was sometime before the Ottoman Empire. At any rate, we’ve come a long way from a family of five because mom, aka the Queen (Jane Seymour), is involved and she’s not happy with who her son (Stephen Hagan) is about to marry (Lacey Chabert). This romantic film has a lot of lovely scenes and is pretty dazzling so I rewatch this film every year.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Bucharest, Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 9/10
Crowns and Gowns: 10/10
A Royal Christmas Engagement
Hallmark 2020 1h 26m
The fairytale plot: How could you find yourself engaged to a royal prince and didn’t even know? I suggest you check with your partner right now to make sure they aren’t hiding some beautiful kingdom from you (or jewels). This time we have an advertising executive (always hardworking), who falls for Prince Edward Charles, except he calls himself Paul, so lots of redflags there, but still she’s going to be a princess and will never have to be hardworking again. Kidding. Princessing is hard.
Castle or Story Location: Buffalo and East Aurora and along the Main Street of a village called East Aurora
Romance and Magic Rating: 6/10
Crowns and Gowns: 6/10
A Royal Winter
Hallmark, 2017 1h 24m
The fairytale plot: Maggie is our central character in this film and she and her friend are going on a Eurotrip for the holidays. Well ho ho ho, I know exactly how this plays out because it has never once happened to me and I’ve been to Europe plenty of times. She falls in love with a prince. Simple as that. Never returns. Lives a life of luxury.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Bucharest, Romania, including the ancient 12th-century city of Sighisoara, an inhabited medieval stronghold.
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 4/10
A Royal New Year’s Eve
Hallmark, 2017 1h 24m
The fairytale plot: Magazine editors and journalists seem to be the required profession for meeting royalty so maybe look into making a career change if you want to live your life as a princess. The main character, Caitlyn, is in charge of designing a gown for the Prince’s soon-to-be fiance except… tune in to find out what happens. Okay, okay, the prince falls in love with the dress designer!!! This film totally reminded me of the work fashion illustrator Holly Nichols does because her gowns are breathtaking, if only I had a Christmas ball at a castle to wear them because they are divine.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Vancouver and other parts of BC, Canada
Romance and Magic Rating: 9/10 Lots of love interests in this film
Crowns and Gowns: 10/10
Christmas at the Palace
Hallmark, 2018 1h 25m
The fairytale plot: Finally a movie at a palace. Pretty much this is why I watch royal Christmas movies. I want to be swept behind the walls to see how you can decorate a 21 x 40ft living room adorned in baroque wallpaper and pink velvet sofas. This movie gets replayed many times throughout my holiday season.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Castel Film Studios including Bucharest and Snagov Palace
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 10/10
Crown For Christmas
Hallmark, 2015 1h 26m
The fairytale plot: Here is a film that has a bit more substance and an actress who has an actual mathematical theorem named after them, hello Winnie Cooper. There’s a lot more feel good going on this film that is reminiscent of the Sound of Music with the whole governess plot and falling in love with the dad. It has an emotional storyline with a healthy dose of Christmas fun, including a Christmas ball montage that will feed your need for a royal Christmas.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Bucharest and Cantacuzino Castle, Busteni, Prahova County in Romania and Lake Bled in Slovenia
Romance and Magic Rating: 7/10
Crowns and Gowns: 7/10
My Christmas Prince
Lifetime, 2017 1h 25m
The fairytale plot: Although similar in title to Netflix’s A Christmas Prince, this is a wholly different royal Christmas story that actually involves a woman from New York who has fallen in love with a man who she didn’t know was a freaking prince! How amazing is that? Just what will happen to these two love-birds only you will know when you watch it.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Ogden, Utah
Romance and Magic Rating: 6/10
Crowns and Gowns: 1/ 10
One Royal Holiday
Hallmark 2020 1h 25m
The fairytale plot: When Anna offers a stranded mother and son shelter from a blizzard, she learns that they are the royal family of Galwick and that they are both in need of a little Christmas magic. It’s a very small town and very casual, so disappointing on the crown and castle front.
Castle or Story Filming Locations: Woodstock, Putnam and Hartford, Connecticut
Romance and Magic Rating: 4/10
Crowns and Gowns: 0/10
I really want more films that happen in actual castles
Once Upon A Holiday
Hallmark, 2015 1 h 24m
The fairytale plot: Finally the female lead is the royal one, and she’s gonna “find herself” by running away to New York, where all successful bachelors live. Throw in the most romantic time of year, Christmas, and you’ve got the perfect storm for unexpected love. Who will Katie, our Queen to be, find to help share her glorious kingdom?
Castle or Story Filming Locations: Bran Castle, Bran în Brașov România, Anvil Centre in New Westminster British Columbia Canada, and Swaneset Bay Country Club in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia Canada
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 2/10
Royal Matchmaker
Amazon, 2018 1h 24m
The fairytale plot: A matchmaker is involved with this love story, whereby the King hires a NYC matchmaker to find a suitable wife for his son (reminiscent of the ball held to find Prince Charming’s wife in Cinderella). The matchmaker must find a wife quickly in time for the national celebration. However, cupid’s arrow strikes close to home with this love story and it turns out the matchmaker simply cannot resist the wealth and riches, ahem the love she finds herself feeling for the prince. I feel ya girl.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania and in a ski town called Sinaia as well as a mountain resort in Prahova County
Romance and Magic Rating: 7/10
Crowns and Gowns: 5/10
The Knight Before Christmas
Netflix, 2019 1h 32m
The fairytale plot: Here is a romantic royal Christmas movie that is legit based on magic. A true time travel fairytale that includes a Medieval Knight from 1334 who is transported into 2019 where a love story ensues. Filled with heartache and happiness, this is a cute movie for the holidays (and actual castles!)
Castle or Story Filming Locations: Orillia and Bracebridge in Ontario, Canada and for the castle scenes, Charleville Castle in Tullamore, Ireland.
Romance and Magic Rating: 9/10
Crowns and Gowns: 4/10
The Princess Switch
Netflix, 2018 1h 42m
The fairytale plot: The other Netflix series about royal romances at Christmas, this one starring the beautiful Vanessa Hudgens. If you enjoyed this first movie, there are now two more for your viewing pleasure and they are all as magical as magical can be. The fun part of these films is that Vanessa plays all the roles and just switches places throughout. It’s pretty cute and quite entertaining.
Castle or Story Filming Location: Carei Romania with palace scenes taking place at Károlyi Castle, Carei Romania
Romance and Magic Rating: 9/10
Crowns and Gowns: 9/10
The Princess Switch: Switched Again
Netflix, 2020 1h 37m
The fairytale plot: Taking place two years after the original film, we now have a princess Stacy and another who is getting ready to ascend the throne. There are three look-alikes in this film with all the fun antics that it can bring. If you loved the parent trap, you’ll love this Christmas take on a single actress playing all the characters. Lot’s of gowns and crowns in this magical royal christmas movie.
Castle of Story Filming Locations: Hopetoun House, South Queensferry, Edinburgh Gateway train station
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 10/10
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star
Netflix, 2021 1hr 46m
The fairytale plot: Something is stolen and royal look-alikes Margaret and Stacy (played by Vanessa Hudgens) must solve the crime before the international Christmas festival is ruined. Vanessa does an awesome job of memorizing three different parts and playing a each role carefully. Love the three different personalities!
Castle or Story Filming Location: Newbattle Abbey College, Midlothian Scotland
Romance and Magic Rating: 8/10
Crowns and Gowns: 7/10
Christmas Universe by Netflix
The Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe also known as Netflix’s Holiday Movie Universe
Netflix, the ever popular leader of streaming movies and providing the masses with content like Tiger King and Squid Game, has been seeping into the ultra niche movie genre known as the romance Christmas movie.
Any stay at home mom or mid to late 30s single and ready to mingle woman will tell you they like to indulge in these little fantasies during the holiday season; where high-powered career woman or a struggling mom stumbles upon her prince who sweeps her beautiful blowout and PSL off her feet and into a surprising life of near perfect joy and happiness. And if this false narrative occurs during the most magical time of year, well golly gee if that isn’t the Christmas icing on the cake of life. The gowns and crowns glittering amongst the finest decorated trees with live garland dripping from grand staircases and champagne flutes with gold specks glisten… ahem excuse me I’m getting carried away.
At any rate, Netflix is knocking these Christmas movies out of the park and they seem to be following the Pixar example of interlinking all their movies together with little easter eggs (i.e. hints) appearing throughout the films. Although not every movie in this here universe is royal related, they are all loosely woven together. Here is the explanation from Netflix describing the ways the movies are linked.
To enjoy the Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe this holiday, these are the movies you can watch. It will take you approx. to watch all the films in the Netflix Holiday Movie Universe – so get your popcorn and bubbly ready.
Here’s the explanation from of how they are connected:
The Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe is being torn apart
These are the movies in Netflix’s Holiday Movie Universe
Check out these 9 movies that will take you 14.33 hours to burn through
- Christmas Inheritance 2017 (1hr 44m)
- A Christmas Prince 2017 (1hr 32m)
- A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding 2018 (1hr 33m)
- A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby 2019 (1hr 25m)
- The Holiday Calendar 2018 (1h 35m)
- The Princess Switch 2018 (1h 42m)
- Holiday In The Wild 2019 (1h 26m)
- The Princess Switch: Switched Again 2020 (1h 37m)
- The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star 2021 (1hr 46m)
Want to watch a Christmas Royal Series?
Check out these 6 movies that will take you a little over 9.5hrs to watch (9.583)
- A Christmas Prince 2017 (1hr 32m)
- A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding 2018 (1hr 33m)
- A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby 2019 (1hr 25m)
- The Princess Switch 2018 (1h 42m)
- The Princess Switch: Switched Again 2020 (1h 37m)
- The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star 2021 (1hr 46m)
Royal Movies to Watch during the Holidays (Based on real royals)
If you just want a royal fix during the holidays, then these movies are more reflective of actual royal families, like the British House of Windsor, than the fairytale versions Hallmark and Netflix are fond of creating.
For movies exploring the intrigue and lives of the British royal family that you can binge during the holidays (or any time of year), check out these compelling films for royal fans.
- William & Kate (2011)
- Harry and Meghan: A Royal Romance (2018)
- Harry & Meghan: Becoming Royal (2019)
- W.E. (2011)
- Diana: In Her Own Words (2017)
- Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy (2017)
- Diana (2013)
- Elizabeth at 90: A Family Tribute (2016)
- The Queen (2006)
- The King’s Speech (2010)
- Downton Abbey (2019)
- Mrs Brown (1997)
- The Young Victoria (2009)
Final Thoughts
Let your royal freak flags fly my fellow commoners.
Indulge in all the sparkly magic these films hope to offer. Never mind the bad dialogue or questionable storylines, because at the end of the day you’re the main character in your own Christmas story.
Love ya,
Merry Happy Holidays!
English 