Sometimes real life is even better than fictional drama, which is why so many television shows and movies are based on historical events. Take England, for example. You can't honestly claim that you've never been fascinated by something that's happened to a king or queen of the country's past or present, right? Everyone loves to hear about the strong-willed Queen Elizabeth I, or King Henry VIII and his six wives. And especially after her recent passing, Queen Elizabeth II, and her long legacy. Luckily, Hollywood feels the same way, and movies and television shows based on stories about English royalty have been made for decades now, with more coming out each year. But which ones are the best?

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The Crown

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Image via Netflix

Yes, this one's a given for a list like this. Created by Peter Morgan, The Crown is a Netflix series that focuses on the life of Queen Elizabeth II from her coronation through to her later years. Beginning with Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth and Matt Smith as Prince Philip, the series spends two seasons with the characters at a certain point in their life before completely changing the cast. While Seasons 1 and 2 focus on the years between Queen Elizabeth's wedding in 1947 to 1964, the year Prince Edward is born. In Seasons 3 and 4, Olivia Colman and Tobias Menzies play Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, showcasing their story from the late 1960s into the 1990s and introducing other key figures throughout English history, such as Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson) and Lady Diana Spencer (Emma Corrin). The recently released Season 5 and Season 6, which will be the last two before The Crown comes to a close, feature Imelda Staunton and Jonathan Pryce as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, taking over from Colman and Menzies. While there are obviously creative liberties taken for the series (as with any movie or TV show on this list), The Crown is renowned for its attention to detail and supreme acting, and it's a certified must-watch show.

The Madness of King George

Nigel Hawthorne and Helen Mirren in The Madness of King George
Image Via The Samuel Goldwyn Company

Released in 1994, The Madness of King George is a biographical dramedy about the life of King George III and his older years dealing with what many historians believe was mental illness. The movie is directed by Nicholas Hytner and written by Alan Bennett who adapts the story from his own play called The Madness of George III. This film is a smart, hilarious snapshot of the strenuous Regency Crisis of 1788, which occurred as a result of King George III's supposed mental illness and a deteriorating relationship with the power-hungry people around him in court. While a lot of English history is interesting and surprising, this period of King George III's life is generally given less attention than say, the emerging American nation of the time, but it's definitely one of the more unique stories to come out of English royalty. Starring Nigel Hawthorne as King George III, Helen Mirren as Queen Charlotte, and a slew of other fantastic British actors like Ian Holm, Rupert Graves, Jim Carter, and many more, The Madness of King George is a witty and enjoyable film for any and every English history fan.

The White Queen, The White Princess, and The Spanish Princess

Charlotte Hope as Catherine of Aragon in The Spanish Princess
Image via Starz

Combining three series into one entry to save space, The White Queen and its two spinoff shows are based on the historical novels by Philippa Gregory. The first series, which was initially intended to be a one-and-done project, is 2013's The White Queen, which tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, played by Rebecca Ferguson, who was Queen of England alongside King Edward IV, played by Max Irons, in the 1400s. The show centers around the War of the Roses and features a lot of drama and intense political intrigue, and it was extremely well-received upon release, leading to the follow-up series The White Princess, which stars Emmy winner Jodie Comer as the daughter of Queen Elizabeth and King Edward IV, Elizabeth of York, who sees the War of the Roses end shortly before her marriage to King Henry VII, played by Jacob Collins-Levy. The most recent addition to this franchise is the 2019 series The Spanish Princess, which stars Charlotte Hope as Catherine of Aragon, the Queen of England during her time as the first wife of King Henry VIII (Ruairi O'Connor). But as the title suggests, the show actually focuses on the beginning of Catherine's relationship with King Henry VIII and the English throne, before their marriage.

The King’s Speech

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Image by The Weinstein Company

Another singular story from centuries of English royal history, the 2010 film The King's Speech, which won Best Picture at the Academy Awards that year along with a few other awards, focuses on the relationship between King George VI (Colin Firth) and his speech therapist, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). The story follows King George VI in the time shortly before his brother, King Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), abdicates the throne in 1936, as he tries to overcome his stammer and prepare himself for the difficult times ahead as the ruler of England. The King's Speech is a great drama film that boasts a wonderful cast, including Helena Bonham Carter, Timothy Spall, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Ehle, and Michael Gambon — basically the who's who of top British actors.

The Royal House of Windsor

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Image via Netflix

While we love dramatic retellings of English royal history, sometimes you just want the straight facts. There are plenty of great documentaries on the subject out there, but the 2017 six-episode docuseries The Royal House of Windsor is a great choice if you are looking for one to watch. The series starts in 1917 with the founding of House Windsor by King George V and travels with the family all the way to modern times, revealing aspects of the royal family never shown on television before. Of course, expect to hear about parts of British history that you probably already know, but given that it's all a part of the story of House Windsor, it's to be expected. The Royal House of Windsor is a straightforward docuseries perfect for all of the English history nerds out there.

Wolf Hall

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Image via PBS

An earlier appearance by Claire Foy as an English royal, this time around she goes back a bit farther into the past to play Anne Boleyn opposite Damian Lewis as King Henry VIII in Wolf Hall. Sure, the story of King Henry VIII's deadly reign and six wives is well-known, but there's a reason for that, as his story is one of the most intense and memorable throughout royal history. But what makes this series a bit more unique is that it really focuses on the historical figure of Thomas Cromwell, played by Mark Rylance, a manipulative, charming man who uses his close relationship with King Henry VIII to gain more power for himself. With a target on Anne, attempting to get King Henry VIII away from her influence, Cromwell plays a risky game that might not end in his favor (Spoiler alert: it doesn't).

The Favourite

Abiagail sitting on a chair and looking up in The Favourite
Image via Fox Searchlight

Directed by the esteemed and wholly original director Yorgos Lanthimos, The Favourite stars Olivia Colman as another queen from English history — Queen Anne, who ruled England in the early 1700s. Co-starring with Colman are Rachel Weisz as Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, and Emma Stone as Sarah's cousin, Abigail Masham, who are in a rivalry to win the position of "favourite," or someone who is the closest companion to a royal or other prominent, influential person. Throughout history, these relationships have been complicated yet strong, with some a friend and always dependable support to the influential individual, while other instances involve sexual or otherwise different relationships. The Favourite investigates the strange and layered relationships between Abigail, Sarah, and Anne, as the former two do whatever they must to gain Anne's favor and maintain a position of power at court, to hilarious and emotional results.

The Queen

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Image via Pathe

Also starring Helen Mirren (if you haven't noticed yet, you'll see a lot of repeating names on this list), The Queen depicts Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family's response to the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. The film depicts the clashing beliefs of the time, as the more traditional royal family don't plan to treat Diana's death as an official royal death, which would lead to public acknowledgment of the events and mourning. Conversely, Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) and Prince Charles (Alex Jennings), Diana's ex-husband, want to address the nation's love of Diana and mourn her death together. The Queen slowly comes to realize that her country has changed and modernized quite a bit throughout her reign, and the people truly love Diana. The Queen also stars James Cromwell, Roger Allam, and the late Helen McCrory, and it received critical acclaim when it was released, winning Mirren many awards. Taking on a truly difficult topic within English history, The Queen does a wonderful job showing how much Diana's death affected both England and the royal family, as well as the modernization of the monarchy.

Victoria

Jenna Coleman in Victoria
Image Via ITV

Beginning with Season 1 in 2016, the television series Victoria, created by Daisy Goodwin, stars Jenna Coleman as Queen Victoria from the beginning of her reign at 18 years old in 1837 and on through key moments in her life. There are three seasons total (so far), with Season 1 depicting her early years up to her marriage to Prince Albert (Tom Hughes), while Season 2 explores her time after juggling her roles as a wife, mother, and queen, with ongoing international issues being the famine in Ireland in the 1840s and tension between England and other European countries. While many people know of Queen Victoria's long and lasting marriage to Prince Albert and her later years after, there haven't been too many movies and television series exploring Victoria's time as a new queen and how she navigated being the youngest ruling monarch, but Victoria does this very well.

Elizabeth

Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth
Image Via PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Directed by Shekhar Kapur and written by Michael Hirst, the 1998 film Elizabeth is all about Queen Elizabeth I of England, who ruled from 1558 to her death in 1603. Cate Blanchett plays the title character, one of the most prolific rulers in English history. The film depicts Queen Elizabeth I's ascension to the English throne after the death of her half-sister, Queen Mary I, and her early years navigating a treacherous court. England isn't in such a great place when Queen Elizabeth I becomes the monarch, with Queen Mary I having persecuted Protestants throughout the country, a lot of debt building up, and the increasingly tense battlefield that is Europe at the time. Elizabeth spotlights a truly outstanding performance from Blanchett, who portrays Queen Elizabeth I as a strong, clever woman both while fighting on the battlefield and in her own court. Joseph Fiennes plays Robert Dudley, who some believe the Queen had a sexual relationship with, and Geoffrey Rush as Francis Walsingham, the queen's lead advisor and spymaster. Many of the players in Elizabeth returned for the sequel film, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which was released in 2007.

Anne of the Thousand Days

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Image via Universal

One of the older entries on this list, 1969's Anne of the Thousand Days stars Geneviève Bujold as Anne Boleyn, the main character, with Richard Burton playing the one and only King Henry VIII. The film is an adaptation of the 1948 play of the same name by Maxwell Anderson, telling the story of the King's infatuation with a young Anne and his attempts to use his power and influence to woo her. Despite not really falling for King Henry VIII's affections, Anne enjoys the privilege and control granted her by being in the King's favor. She then declares that she won't be his mistress, igniting Henry's efforts to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne, which eventually leads her down a dark (and deadly) path. While Anne of the Thousand Days got mixed reviews when it was released, the film earned many Academy Award nominations, and Bujold was given particular praise for her performance, which was her first English-language film. If you want to watch something with all of the drama and old style of the movies of the '60s, Anne of the Thousand Days is a great choice.

Shakespeare In Love

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Image via Miramax

If you didn't know, William Shakespeare played a very big role during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. While a lot of Shakespeare in Love is fictional drama, the performance of Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth I is amazing, and definitely one to rival the likes of Blanchett and others who've portrayed her. The film stars Joseph Fiennes as Shakespeare, while Gwyneth Paltrow plays a character named Viola de Lesseps, a woman from a wealthy family who dreams of acting and falls in love with Shakespeare. The movie imagines that the romance and specific encounters between Viola and Shakespeare inspire his plays, with the Queen an active player in the whole scheme. One major factor of the film is the time's ban on female actors, which prohibits Viola from acting on stage unless she is disguised as a man. In a key moment of the climax, Queen Elizabeth I picks up on Viola's true identity and helps hide her from the men plotting against her, paralleling the queen's own battle against the sexism of the times. This movie is filled with love and references to both history and Shakespeare's many works, so check out Shakespeare in Love if that intrigues you.

Henry V

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Image via Curzon Film Distributors

British actor and director Kenneth Branagh has been a well-known Shakespeare aficionado for decades now. The filmmaker has directed and starred in a number of adaptations of the famous playwright's works, including Hamlet in 1996, Much Ado About Nothing in 1993, and his earliest and possibly most well-known, Henry V in 1989. While some of Shakespeare's work explores fantasy and comedic elements, he also wrote a lot of historical plays about various English monarchs. With Henry V, the play recounts the short but eventful reign of King Henry V, who played a key role in the Hundred Years' War, bringing honor to England as a major military power and almost uniting England and France under his rule. As expected, Branagh plays the title role, while Derek Jacobi, Simon Shepherd, James Larkin, and Emma Thompson all portray important supporting characters. Thought to be one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations ever made, Henry V is a perfect blend of Shakespeare and English history on screen.

Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy

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Image via HBO

Released in 2017, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy is an extremely unique documentary that paints a portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales from the point of view of her two children, Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as many of her close friends. It focuses on all of the work she did for major causes like helping the homeless and fighting the AIDS epidemic, while also showcasing her role as a mother to William and Harry, a side of Diana that the public rarely saw. Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy is a very moving film, and a must-see documentary for people who are intrigued by the history of the royal family, and in particular, why Diana was such a beloved figure to the people of England.

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The King

Timothee Chalamet in The King
Image via Netflix

The 2019 Netflix film The King stars Timothée Chalamet as King Henry V, based on William Shakespeare's Henriad, the series of historical plays he wrote about the English monarchy of the late 1300s into the 1400s. Chalamet's King Henry V is reluctant to take the throne, but after his father's death, Henry takes his rightful place as the king with his close companion John Falstaff, played by Joel Edgerton. Honestly, while there are obviously historical inconsistencies, this film is a worthy addition to the catalog of movies about English royalty and history solely due to Chalamet's acting and Robert Pattinson's performance as Louis, the Dauphin of Viennois, who faces off against the King of England on the battlefield with one of the best French accents I've ever heard on screen — though that's probably debatable. The King also stars Sean Harris, Ben Mendelsohn, Dean-Charles Chapman, and more recognizable names, and it's an exciting, action-packed drama with amazing lead performances.

The Lion in Winter

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Image via AVCO Embassy Pictures

In the role that earned her a third Academy Award for Best Actress, Katharine Hepburn stars in The Lion in Winter as Eleanor of Aquitaine, who was Queen of France before her marriage to King Louis VII was annulled in 1152, and she was soon remarried to King Henry II of England. The film takes place long into Eleanor and King Henry II's marriage when she has been imprisoned as a result of plotting against her husband to put one of their sons on the throne. Set in the year 1183, King Henry II, played by Peter O'Toole, allows Eleanor to return home for the holidays, reuniting the entire family and sparking intense political maneuvers. The film is filled with drama and stars Anthony Hopkins in his first major film role as Richard the Lionheart, the son who Eleanor hopes will next take the throne, while The Lion in Winter is also Timothy Dalton's film debut. A true classic, this film must be on your to-watch list if you love all things English history.

The Young Victoria

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Image via Momentum Pictures

In 2009, Jean-Marc Vallée directed Emily Blunt in the film The Young Victoria, written by Julian Fellowes, whose name you might recognize as the creator of Downton Abbey. The movie focuses on Blunt as Queen Victoria in her early years, similar to Victoria, but as a film, it can only fit so much story in. The Young Victoria focuses on the conflicting forces vying for control over Victoria, and thus, the crown, in the time leading up to her ascension. Despite the troubles, Queen Victoria manages to start her reign on her own terms, and the movie showcases the Queen's skill in navigating the political landscape at just 18 years old, all while falling in love with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, played by Rupert Friend. Miranda Richardson and Mark Strong play the Duchess of Kent and Sir John Conroy, respectively, who work together to try and secure a regency before the death of King William IV (Jim Broadbent).

Mary Queen of Scots

Saoirse Ronan in Mary Queen of Scots

A lot of the previously mentioned television shows and films focus on a select number of English royals, and while Mary Queen of Scots features Queen Elizabeth I in a key role, it's based around the titular Mary, Queen of Scots, also known as Mary Stuart, who has never really been given the attention she deserves in pop culture. In the 2018 film, directed by Josie Rourke, Saoirse Ronan plays the title character, opposite Margot Robbie as Queen Elizabeth I. With such powerhouse actors leading the cast, you can expect the performances to be nothing less than enthralling. The story follows Mary Stuart as she returns home to Scotland after her first husband's death, only to turn right around and push to make her claim on both the Scottish and English thrones. As happened a lot throughout European royal history, there are intertwined bloodlines at play that give both Mary Stuart and Queen Elizabeth I a legitimate claim to the throne of England. But due to factors like their age, gender, marriage status, debt, and more, Mary and Elizabeth are both fighting an uphill battle to assert their power in their own court, much less each other's. Mary Queen of Scots is a compelling, beautifully shot and costumed movie exploring the life of two of the most compelling figures in English history.

The Tudors

Charles Brandon and King Henry VIII in The Tudors

Similar to The Crown, it's basically a no-brainer to include The Tudors on this list. The Showtime series, created and written by Michael Hirst, features Jonathan Rhys Meyers as King Henry VIII, with the show's four seasons following his dramatic life and the rise and fall of his six wives. Each woman is given a voice and an interesting story arc that really explores their position in the 16th-century Tudor court, with fantastic performances all around. While the whole cast is great, Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn and Maria Doyle Kennedy as Catherine of Aragon are especially amazing. Airing from 2007 to 2010 and depicting the journey of Henry from his ascension to his death, The Tudors is a show that's perfect for anyone who has always been obsessed with the story of King Henry VIII and the six women in his life, and it's arguably one of the best historical dramas ever made.

The Other Boleyn Girl

Scarlett Johanssen and Natalie Portman in The Other Boleyn Girl
Image via Universal Pictures

The Other Boleyn Girl also revolves around King Henry VIII, with his relationship with Mary and Anne Boleyn the main focus. You should know going in that there are quite a few creative liberties taken in the film, the main being the characterization of Mary as a shy and naive woman, but the performances of Scarlett Johansson as Mary and Natalie Portman as Anne are worth seeing. Eric Bana plays Henry, a king obsessed with women who has sexual relationships with both sisters, which results in a tense and intricate conflict between everyone involved. Anne is depicted as extremely manipulative and power-hungry, a woman who sees an opportunity in Henry and takes advantage of it. If you watch The Other Boleyn Girl knowing that a lot of the story is changed or overdramatized, you're in for a lush, intense story of constant scheming and betrayals set against the backdrop of 1500s England. What's not to like?