Are you excited for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding this weekend? Has it turned into a slight obsession? It’s ok, we’re not going to judge ;)
In the words of psychiatrist Dr. Sudeepta Varma, “We are fascinated and obsessed with fairy tales. They have been a part of our society’s fabric since childhood. They help us escape from the everyday mundane“. Plenty of Hollywood movies have combined romance and royalty, usually one royal falling in love with a common-folk, to give us the ultimate happily ever after.
Before we witness Markle walking down the aisle on 19th May, we’ve compiled a list of movies that exudes royal romance.
1. “Ever After”
- Released Date: 1998
- Director: Andy Tennant
- Cast: Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, and Dougray Scott
“This updated adaptation of the classic fairytale tells the story of Danielle, a vibrant young woman who is forced into servitude after the death of her father. Danielle’s stepmother Rodmilla is a heartless woman who forces Danielle to do the cooking and cleaning, while she tries to marry off her own two daughters. But Danielle’s life takes a wonderful turn when she meets the charming Prince Henry.”
2. “Anna and the King”
- Released Date: 1999
- Director: Andy Tennant
- Cast: Jodie Foster, Yun-Fat Chow, Bai Ling
“Anna has been employed to educate the king’s 58 children. She knows very little of King Mongkut, apart from the fact that his people revere him as a god. She brings with her an East vs. West prejudice against the king, considering him to be uncivilised. She soon realises that her views are more than matched by the rulers own preconceptions about the West and particularly this impertinent English woman.”
3. “The Princess Diaries”
- Released Date: 2001
- Director: Garry Marshall
- Cast: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo
“Shy San Francisco teenager Mia Thermopolis is thrown for a loop when, from out of the blue, she learns the astonishing news that she’s a real-life princess! As the heir apparent to the crown of the small European principality of Genovia, Mia begins a comical journey toward the throne when her strict and formidable grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, shows up to give her ‘princess lessons’.”
4. “Kate & Leopold”
- Released Date: 2001
- Director: James Mangold
- Cast: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer
“Kate McKay is a modern day executive, a 21st century woman driven to succeed in the corporate world. Leopold, the third Duke of Albany, is a charming gent and bachelor of the late 18OOs. With career and social expectations looming, each has grown cynical about the very notion of falling in love. But when a rip in the fabric of time thrusts Leopold into present day New York, the potential for an old-fashioned modern romance ignites.”
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5. “What a Girl Wants”
- Released Date: 2003
- Director: Dennie Gordon
- Cast: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston, Eileen Atkins
“On a whim, American teenager Daphne boards a plane to England to find the father she never met. Upon arriving there, though, she makes a startling discovery: The man she’s looking for is Lord Henry Dashwood, a member of the British upper class, who is running for political office. Lord Henry didn’t know Daphne existed, but he welcomes her into his life. However, she isn’t so sure – and his family and his current betrothed look on her disapprovingly.”
6. “Ella Enchanted”
- Released Date: 2004
- Director: Tommy O’Haver
- Cast: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Cary Elwes, Vivica A. Fox
“As a baby, Ella receives a visit from Lucinda, her fairy godmother, and is bestowed with a magical talent that requires her to obey anything that she is told to do. This proves to be more of a curse than a blessing, particularly once her mother dies and she is forced to live with the cruel Dame Olga. Eventually, Ella embarks on a journey to find Lucinda and break the spell, accompanied by the handsome Prince Charmont.”
7. “The Prince and Me”
- Released Date: 2004
- Director: Martha Coolidge
- Cast: Julia Stiles, Luke Mably, Ben Miller, Miranda Richardson, James Fox, Alberta Watson
“Paige Morgan is a focused premed student who becomes intrigued by Eddie, a wealthy Danish student. Despite Eddie’s initially boorish behaviour, Paige falls for him, only to discover that his father and mother are the king and queen of Denmark, and he is heir apparent to the throne. As Eddie adjusts to American life, and Paige gets used to her beau being a future king, the two must decide if their romance is something that can last.”
8. “Enchanted”
- Released Date: 2007
- Director: Kevin Lima
- Cast: Amy Adams, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden
“In the fairy-tale land of Andalasia, pretty young Giselle frolics with her woodland pals, and falls in love with the handsome Prince Edward, but when Giselle arrives at the castle to marry her Prince Charming, his evil stepmother sends the princess-to-be to a place where there are `no happy ever afters’: New York City. Cynical divorce lawyer Robert comes to her rescue, but can Giselle find her way back to her true love?”
9. “A Christmas Prince”
- Released Date: 2017
- Director: Alex Zamm
- Cast: Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Tom Knight, Sarah Douglas, Daniel Fathers, Alice Krige, Tahirah Sharif
Netflix had a hit “A Christmas Prince” was released during the holiday season last year. An aspiring young American journalist, Amber Moore, was sent abroad to get the scoop on a dashing adopted prince named Richard. You can guess what happens next.
10. “Harry & Meghan: A Royal Romance”
- Released Date: 2018
- Director: Menhaj Huda
- Cast: Parisa Fitz-Henley, Laura Mitchell, Burgess Abernethy, Murray Fraser
“Chronicling the courtship and love story between a beloved prince and his new fiancée, the film will examine the history of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from the moment they met after being set up by friends, through their initial courtship when they were able to keep their romance under wraps, and ultimately the intense global media attention surrounding their relationship and Meghan’s life as a divorced American actress.”
Sources: Star2, LA Times, Brit + co.
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