As the longest reigning monarch in British history, Queen Elizabeth II sat on the throne for over 70 years. During that time, she helped to restore a post-war Britain, held the public’s hands through the Great Recession, stood by the UK during Brexit, lived with us through a global pandemic, and welcomed 15 prime ministers and 14 US presidents – not to mention the celebration of three major Jubilees. For many, she’s the one constant they’ve had throughout their lives.
So, as we come together to mourn the loss of the much-loved head of state, here’s a roundup of all the best royal family shows and movies to reflect on her extraordinary life.
Why is the British Royal Family so Controversial?
The royal family’s presence has created quite a divide over the years. Many people believe the royal family represents imperialism and colonialism rather than public and charitable service.
They’ve had their fair share of troubling public affairs, including the death of Princess Diana and Prince Andrew’s involvement in the Jeffery Epstein scandal. In the UK especially, many feel resentment towards the royal family, most notably because of their personal wealth and ability to avoid rules surrounding tax.
However, much of the worldwide population is proud to say they’re long-term royalists, supporting the work and effort of the British monarch. In particular, they recognize the time and commitment given to charities and countries worldwide, and their key influence on public affairs. For many in the UK, the royal family is part of being British.
Royalist or not, the loss of Queen Elizabeth II will be felt by thousands of people worldwide, especially among commonwealth nations who valued her so highly.
The Best Royal Family Shows
The Crown
The Crown is perhaps one of the most famous royal family shows. The Netflix series focuses on Queen Elizabeth II’s life from her coronation onwards, including her marriage to Prince Phillip, the birth of her four children, the death of Diana, and work alongside several Prime Ministers, such as Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. Claire Foy and Olivia Colman both star as Queen Elizabeth II, with a fifth and final series coming soon – this time, Imelda Staunton takes her place.
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- What it’s about: A deep delve into Queen Elizabeth II’s life from her coronation to her later years and beyond.
- Where to watch: Netflix
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Elizabeth and Margaret: Love and Loyalty
The Elizabeth and Margaret: Love and Loyalty docuseries takes us on a journey through the life of two sisters and all the ups and downs of their relationship, from the death of their father to Margaret’s romantic relationship scandals. The two-part series is available on Netflix, YouTube, and Apple TV, beginning with a look into their childhood together.
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- What it’s about: The close bond and highly public relationship between Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret.
- Where to watch: Netflix, YouTube, and Apple TV
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Queen of the World
Released in 2018, Queen of the World provides behind-the-scenes footage of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, with private footage from her film archives. The two-part docuseries focuses heavily on preparations for the British Commonwealth and the history behind the famous event.
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- What it’s about: Royal family preparations for the British Commonwealth, featuring unseen footage of Queen Elizabeth’s daily activities and interactions with key figures worldwide.
- Where to watch: HBO Max
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A Tale of Two Sisters
The three-part documentary series, A Tale of Two Sisters, follows the extraordinary lives of three royal sisters and their relationships. Each episode focuses on a different royal sister, with the second episode covering Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret. You can also learn about Anne and Mary Boleyn, plus Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I.
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- What it’s about: The life of the most famous royal sisters in British history, including Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret.
- Where to watch: Acorn TV
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The Royal House of Windsor
If you want to learn a little more about life before Queen Elizabeth II, The Royal House of Windsor explores the history, challenges, and relationships of the British monarchy all the way back to World War I. The six-part series is available on Netflix, looking into the reign of King George VI, Queen Elizabeth II’s early days on the throne, the Charles and Diana scandal, and the relationship between Charles and his mother.
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- What it’s about: The last 100 years of the British monarchy, dating back to World War I to the later days of Queen Elizabeth’s reign.
- Where to watch: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
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The Best British Monarchy Movies
The Majestic Life of Queen Elizabeth II
This 90-minute biographical documentary studies Queen Elizabeth II’s life in detail. It shows archived footage and interviews about her private life, relationships, and family – from her childhood and the death of King George VI to Prince William and Princess Kate’s wedding.
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- What it’s about: A documentary on Queen Elizabeth II’s life from childhood and her 60-year reign, with real-life footage and interviews.
- Where to watch: Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
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Queen Elizabeth II: Above All Else
In this 2022 documentary, we learn about Queen Elizabeth II’s reigning monarch, starting with how she ascended to the throne. Queen Elizabeth II: Above All Else explores how the world has changed during her reign, focusing on her involvement in significant moments of British history.
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- What it’s about: Significant moments during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and how the world has changed during her time as head of state.
- Where to watch: YouTube and Amazon Prime Video
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The Queen: In Her Own Words
The Queen: In Her Own Words studies the impact of Queen Elizabeth’s speeches throughout her 70-year reign, focusing on why she chose certain words to address the nation. Released in 2020, this documentary film looks at the speeches she held on Christmas Days, family events, key public anniversaries, and even during the Coronavirus pandemic.
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- What it’s about: A documentary film on Queen Elizabeth II’s remarkable speeches during her 70-year reign and the impact of her words.
- Where to watch: My5 and ITV Hub
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Elizabeth: A Portrait in Part(s)
To celebrate Queen Elizabeth II as the longest reigning monarch, director Roger Michell released a 90-minute documentary film on the tales of her life. It features archived footage, interviews with the Queen, and a look at her most historical achievements.
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- What it’s about: The tales of Queen Elizabeth II’s monarchy as the longest reigning monarch in British history, with interviews and archived footage from key historical events.
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video and Showtime
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Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen takes us on a journey through the Queen’s life outside of her royal duties from birth and childhood, through to her Platinum Jubilee. Released in 2022, this documentary film features family footage of time spent with members of the royal family past and present, including King George VI, Prince Phillip, Princess Margaret, and King Charles.
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- What it’s about: A documentary focusing on Queen Elizabeth’s life outside of her royal duties, with unseen family footage from her childhood to her Platinum Jubilee.
- Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV
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The Queen
Helen Mirren stars as HRH in the 2006 award-winning film. This film specifically focuses on the activities, emotions, and reactions of the royal family following the tragic incident of Princess Diana’s death in 1997.
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- What it’s about: A look into the royal family in the wake of Princess Diana’s death in 1997.
- Where to watch: Netflix and Hulu
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The King’s Speech
Although not about Queen Elizabeth II specifically, The King’s Speech focuses on the reign of her father, King George VI. The 2010 film studies King George’s time on the throne and his struggle with public speaking due to a speech impediment. You’ll see Queen Elizabeth represented as a young child, which offers some insight into her early family life.
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- What it’s about: The Queen’s Father, King George VI, and his battle with a speech impediment during his time on the throne.
- Where to watch: Netflix
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Prince Philip: An Extraordinary Life
The hour-long documentary takes a closer look at Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, Prince Philip. In light of his death in 2021, Prince Phillip: An Extraordinary Life studies Philip’s life from childhood to his marriage to Queen Elizabeth II and beyond. Watch archived footage from his time as a royal and of his relationship with HRH.
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- What it’s about: Prince Philip’s life and relationship with Queen Elizabeth II, featuring archived footage from their royal duties.
- Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV
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Do You Need a VPN to Watch Royal Family Shows?
Some (not all) of the British monarchy shows and movies are only available in select countries – usually the UK. For instance, you can only stream The Queen: In Her Own Words on My5 and ITVHub, which are exclusive to UK residents. So, you may need a UK IP address to securely watch the royal family shows and movies.
You can connect to a UK server and get a UK IP address with a VPN. This means you can stream all there is to watch about Queen Elizabeth II securely from anywhere, even if you’re traveling outside the UK.
CyberGhost VPN gives you a choice of 116 server locations across 91 countries, including three server locations in the UK. Simply hop onto one of our UK servers and stream the best royal family shows securely.
We use 256-bit AES encryption to secure your connection, keeping all of your online traffic safe and private. That means you’re safe from cybercriminals, hackers, and other data thieves while you’re learning about Queen Elizabeth’s life, because they can’t see you online. Best of all, it’s risk-free to try us with our 45-day money-back guarantee.
In Memory of HRH, Queen Elizabeth II
The devastating loss of Queen Elizabeth II shook the entire world. As the longest reigning monarch in British history, her legacy will remain not just in the UK, but throughout commonwealth countries and the rest of the world.
In our mourning period, many of us want to look back on HRH’s reign and learn more about her life, both as Queen and outside of the monarchy. So, get comfy, relax, and choose from the many British monarchy shows and movies as you sit back and reflect on the much-loved woman that was Queen Elizabeth II.
FAQ
You can choose from many different TV series about the royal family. One of the most popular is The Crown, which you can watch on Netflix. The four-season series studies Queen Elizabeth II’s reign from her coronation and father’s death to her later years.
Netflix will soon be releasing a fifth and final season. If you’re out and about streaming The Crown, connect to CyberGhost VPN so you can watch securely from anywhere, without anyone spying on your connection.
As one of the most famous women worldwide, many directors have produced films looking into significant moments of Queen Elizabeth’s life. The 2006 film, The Queen, stars Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II and tells the tale of the royal family during and shortly after Princess Diana’s death.
You can stream The Queen (2006) securely on Netflix and Hulu with CyberGhost VPN. With 116 server locations worldwide, unlimited bandwidth, and streaming-optimized connection, you’ll get buffer-free, high-quality streaming from start to finish.
It’s tough to choose the best British monarchy shows. For a TV series on the entirety of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, watch The Crown on Netflix.
Or, if you’re after real-life footage, watch Queen of the World on HBO. This documentary uses archived footage of the Queen, giving you a behind-the-scenes look at HRH’s daily activities.
Regardless of what you watch, be sure to connect to CyberGhost VPN to stay secure – especially if you’re streaming on the go. You get 7 simultaneous connections with 1 subscription and dedicated apps for all major platforms, so you can stream securely anywhere, anytime, and on any device.
The royal family are lovers of traditional shows and movies like Game of Thrones and Star Wars. Queen Elizabeth II particularly enjoyed watching Downton Abbey and The Crown, which you can stream on Netflix.
Simply hop onto one of CyberGhost VPN’s servers to stream Netflix securely from anywhere. If you need help setting up our app or choosing a server, contact our friendly Customer Support – they’re available 24/7.
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