In the realm of kings and royals
Beamafilm
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06/05/2023
Ladies and gentlemen, King Charles is finally being crowned! As the world awaits this historic moment, we are casting a spotlight on the treasure trove of great royal movies, docs and series available on Beamafilm.
For a true 20th-century royal story with an Antipodean twist, look no further than 'The King's Speech' - the multi-Oscar-winning drama by Australia's own Emile Sherman. Set in 1936, this epic drama tells the story of King George VI and the Aussie speech therapist who helped the monarch overcome his stammer upon his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire. Or travel back to post-civil-war England in 1645 with 'To Kill a King', when King Charles I is overthrown and two heroes, Lord General Thomas Fairfax and his best friend Deputy General Oliver Cromwell, emerge and then must vie for power.
Lose yourself in 'Mary Queen of Scots', a picturesque period drama about a Queen who lost three kingdoms, a wife who lost three husbands, and a royal who ultimately lost her head. This Swiss historical drama, artfully directed by Thomas Imbach, reveals the biography of a 16th-century monarch whose devotion to her cousin, Elizabeth I, and whose duty to her country led to her own execution. Or journey back to 13th-century England, where a Knights Templar and a few of the Baron's men fight to defend Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John via the Magna Carta in 'Ironclad' by Jonathan English starring James Purefoy and Paul Giamatti.
If you're curious to learn more about King Charles III's ancestral links to the Russian Empire, then 'Catherine the Great' starring Helen Mirren is for you. Russia's Catherine the Great and Peter the First are indeed direct ancestors of the English heirs to the present-day throne since Prince Philip's grandmother, Olga Konstantinovna Romanova, The Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna, was the granddaughter of Czar Nicholas I of Russia who was the grandson of Catherine the Great.
As an aside, King Charles III, formerly the Prince of Wales, was also a great fan of Spike Milligan, chief creator and main writer of 'The Goon Show'. In 1994, the prince famously sent a congratulatory message to be read on live television when Milligan was awarded the Lifetime Achievement British Comedy Award. Much to the amusement of the audience, Milligan interrupted the prince's message to call him a "little grovelling bastard", and then later faxed the prince, to say: "I suppose a knighthood is out of the question?" He had already been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), (honorary due to his Irish citizenship), but was promoted to an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 2001 in any case. The two were also friends in real life, and in 1981 Milligan wrote a poem under his pen name, MacGoonical, entitled "Ode to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales on the Occasion of his Wedding" that was delivered to Buckingham Palace on a 3.7- foot-long parchment scroll. Find out more about this favourite royal comedian in Cathy Henkel's documentary 'I Told You I Was Ill The Life And Legacy Of Spike Milligan'.
And now, as we brace ourselves for all the drama of King Charles III's coronation, Beamafilm is featuring its noteworthy collection of films portraying the history and legacy of the British royals. Whether you're in the mood for a gripping historical drama or something lighter Beamafilm's got you covered with an incredible selection of royal movies, docs and series in the watchlist below. Sit back, dust off your tiara, and get ready to immerse yourself in all the pomp and pageantry of the royals and the British monarchy.
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The story of King George VI, his impromptu ascension to the throne of the British Empire in 1936, and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch overcome his stammer.
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The retelling of the interesting and captivating life of Emperor Charlemagne features elaborate battle reenactments and interviews with world-renowned experts.
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A biography of the doomed monarch whose devotion to her cousin Elizabeth I, and duty to her country was her demise. A queen who lost three kingdoms. A wife who lost three husbands. A woman who lost her head.
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England 1645: After years of civil war, King Charles I is overthrown and two heroes have emerged – Lord General Thomas Fairfax and his best friend deputy General Oliver Cromwell. But now they must vie for power.
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In thirteenth-century England, a Knights Templar and a few of the Baron's men fight to defend Rochester Castle against the tyrannical King John.
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An intimate portrait of comic genius Spike Milligan.
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Amid scandal, intrigue and conflict, Russian empress Catherine the Great develops a unique and devoted relationship with Grigory Potemkin overcoming their adversaries and serving as the architects of modern-day Russia.
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Two teenagers, Princess Margaret and the future Queen of England, Elizabeth II, are allowed out at night for the first time to join the party.
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The End of an Empire. The Birth of Two Nations. "Viceroy's House" tells the true story of the final months of British rule in India.
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A brother and sister dance act encounter challenges and romance when booked in London during the Royal Wedding.
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In the court of King Louis, the designer of the gardens of Versailles finds love and inspiration in a bright young woman with ideas of her own.
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A look at the relationship between Marie Antoinette and one of her readers during the first days of the French Revolution.
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The romance that challenged two countries. In 1947, Seretse Khama, the King of Botswana, met Ruth Williams, a London office worker. Together, they changed the world.
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