Everyone loves a bit of controversy and scandal now and then. But, there is something about the trials and tribulations of royal families that make things even more interesting.
Sometimes they are even made into movies to great success and depict what happened during those times.
While some might take a creative turn to amp up the drama, these movies are still rife with some of the most intriguing royal controversies. Here are some of the best films about royalty.
Elizabeth
Cate Blanchett truly shot into fame when she grabbed the starring role of Queen Elizabeth I in Elizabeth. Released in 1998, this British period piece centers around the early years of Queen Elizabeth I after the death of Queen Mary I of England.
She faces plots to take her down from her throne while also navigating her secret romance with a duke. The movie was targeted for its liberal take on historic facts but all that came to naught when the movie was released and proved to be more entertaining than ever.
The powerhouse performance of its lead actress solidified this film as one of the best films about royalty. Many critics cited the film's performance as well as the costume design.
The movie earned $82.1 million from a budget of only $30 million. At a time after its release, Elizabeth was the darling within the awards circuit and the movie has received nominations and gained countless awards.
Marie Antoinette
Marie Antoinette is one of the most controversial historical figures to ever grace our history books and the silver screen.
It was only a matter of time before Hollywood wanted to make a movie out of her life. In 2006, Marie Antoinette was released and starred Kirsten Dunst.
The movie was heavily based on her life as she travels to France to be married to the future King Louis XIV and seal an alliance between France and Austria.
However, things began to take turn for the worse as the couple had problems bearing a child.
At the same time as all of that are growing riots and economic crisis slowly deteriorated France. It wasn't also helping that people were seeing Marie Antoinette's extravagant and lavish lifestyle.
With so many period pieces over the past few decades, no one has tackled Marie Antoinette like this movie.
The movie became a critical success that it took home several awards for Costume Design while the movie was largely successful in the box office.
The King and I
The King and I is a classic American musical film that is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam.
The plot revolves around a teacher who comes to Bangkok to tutor the children of the king. Soon, she gets entangled in a secret love affair between a concubine and her captor.
There are also clashes with the king with regard to slavery.
In the end, the King learns more about himself as he lies on his deathbed while his son continues the effort to end slavery in the beautiful kingdom of Siam all thanks to the influence of a widowed school teacher.
The King and I was largely a critical and box office success. It was even nominated for several Academy Awards. A few decades later, the movie was revived into an animated feature and was released in 1999.
The movie became the fifth highest-grossing movie in 1956 with over $8.5 million in earnings. However, the movie also had its fair share of controversy as it was banned in Thailand for its representation of the king.
The Queen
The death of Princess Diana truly shocked the world but it also uncovered a deep-seated scandal within the British Royal family.
The Queen uncovers the secrets behind the death of the Princess of Wales as well as its effects on the Royal Family especially Queen Elizabeth II.
Helen Mirren stars as the titular Queen as she traverses through numerous rumors and controversies regarding the death of Princess Diana.
The Queen garnered a lot of praises specifically for Mirren playing the Queen of England. It has earned her several awards and won several more. Even the Queen of England has praised her performance.
The film earned around $56 million out of a budget of only $15 million. It was critically acclaimed for the performances as well as its revelatory storytelling especially in the lives of the royal family.
The Favourite
The Favourite is a period piece about two cousins who are vying for the attention of Queen Anne.
The film further dissects the relationship between two cousins as they devolve into a contest between who becomes the favorite of the Queen.
The movie grossed around $95 million worldwide against a $15 million budget. The movie went on to become the top ten films of 2018 by the American Film Institute.
The Favourite also became one of the favorites of award-giving bodies such as the BAFTA where it won seven awards as well as the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.
Conclusion
From period pieces to the modern setting, these movies have the most captivating storylines of all time. These royal dramas will never cease to keep us interested.
As long as there are still royal families to follow, drama and controversy will never stop us from keeping our eyes glued to the screen.
