The Crown & 9 Other Great Shows About Royalty, Ranked According To IMDb

While not everyone finds the lives of royalty interesting, many others do, as evidenced by the many successful TV shows made in the subgenre. Television shows about royalty and royal families have become very popular in recent years and there are a plethora of ways to go about telling the story.

Some writers attempt to stay true to reality, like The Crown, while others create fictional royal families loosely inspired by their real-life counterparts. There are shows about royals in past lives and even Disney shows that present royalty in a kid-friendly way. One thing is for certain, the genre isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

10 The Spanish Princess – 6.8

The Spanish Princess is one of  Starz most popular original period drama limited series that premiered in May 2019 and is currently on its second and final season on the premium cable network. The series is inspired by two Philippa Gregory novels and the real life of “The Spanish Princess” and it serves as a sequel to two other Starz original miniseries.

The series centers on Princess Catherine of Aragon, Princess of Spain, who was set to marry an English Prince before his untimely death. With the passing of the English Prince, Princess Catherine is in a rare position where she gets to seek out her own prince.

9 Sofia The First – 6.9

The Walt Disney Company is no stranger to the world of royalty, considering they have an entire Disney Princesses brand. However, Disney never really explored royalty in the television sphere until the Disney Junior show Sofia the First premiered in November 2012.

Sofia the First centers on Sofia, a young girl who becomes a princess overnight after her mother marries a king. As Sofia embarks on this journey of learning how to be a princess, she encounters friends and the most beloved Disney Princesses who help guide her way.

8 The Windsors – 7.1

The Windsors is a British sitcom that airs on Channel 4 in England and can also be streamed on Netflix. The series centers on a fictionalized and highly dramatized version of the royal family of Windsor — aka Queen Elizabeth II’s family.

The Windsors is currently in its third season and also has a Christmas special and a Royal Wedding special. While the show seems to be of interest to audiences, The Windsors is not without criticism, with many criticizing the show’s decision to have Kate Middleton’s character get ebola.

7 Reign – 7.5

While The CW is best known for its melodramatic teen shows and DC superheroes, the broadcast network did create its very own show centered on royalty, Reign. 

The drama series centers on the former Queen of Scotland, Mary Stuart, who travels to France in order to get engaged to the French king’s son, Prince Francis. Things get complicated when Prince Francis expresses his reservations about marrying Queen Mary, while she finds herself drawn to the Prince’s half-brother. Reign was on the air for four seasons and is now available to stream on Netflix.

6 The Royals – 7.5

While the E! Network might be best known for their various reality series, the cable network did venture into the world of scripted television back in 2015 with the premiere of The Royals. The series centered on the fictional English royal family, the Henstridge family, as they navigated their rollercoaster life after a series of tragedies hit the family.

Despite its mediocre ratings, The Royals was beloved by fans who cultivated a cult fandom for the show. The Royals ran for four seasons before it was canceled by E! While the production company who produced the show attempted to save it from cancelation, their efforts were shortlived and the show was officially canceled in September 2018.

5 The White Princess – 7.6

The White Princess is the predecessor to The Spanish Princess and the sequel to the Starz original series The White Queen. The series centers on three noblewomen: Princess Elizabeth, Lady Margaret Beaufort, and Dowager Queen Elizabeth Woodville, who are each trying their best to control the English throne.

The White Princess began airing on Starz in April 2017 and ran for one eight-episode season, ending its run in June 2017.

4 Wolf Hall – 8.1

Wolf Hall is a British mini-series adapted from a fictionalized biography about Thomas Cromwell. The eight-episode series chronicles Cromwell’s life from a young blacksmith to one of the most powerful men in Henry VIII’s court who helps the king get out of his marriage to Anne Boleyn.

The mini-series aired in 2015 on BBC and went on to receive eight Primetime Emmy awards in the United States and even won a Golden Globe for Best Miniseries or Television Film.

3 The Tudors – 8.1

The Tudors is a Showtime original drama that is set in 16th-century England during the early years of King Henry VIII’s rule. The series features several prominent characters in history, as well as several of the women in King Henry VIII’s life.

The Tudors aired simultaneously on Showtime, BBC Two, and CBC Television from April 2007 until June 2010. During its run, it was Showtime’s highest-rated original series.

2 The Crown – 8.7

While The Crown is clearly not the only show to center on the Royal English family it is certainly one of the more popular series. The Netflix original chronicles the life of Elizabeth II as she becomes queen after her father’s untimely passing and it also features several prominent figures in her life.

The series is currently on its third season, with a fourth set to premiere in November 2020 and a fifth on the way in 2022. The Crown is not only beloved by audiences, but it also has received high critical acclaim, earning 39 Emmy nominations in three seasons.

1 Game Of Thrones – 9.3

Game of Thrones might not be centered on real-life royals, but it does center its drama in the world of royalty. The HBO original series is adapted from George R.R. Martin’s best-selling book series A Song of Ice and Fire and centers around a group of families hoping to control the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

Game of Thrones has had a historic run, spanning eight seasons on the premium cable network. During its run, it was nominated for 59 Primetime Emmy Awards, which was the most ever received by any drama series.

About The Author

Danielle Bruncati
(298 Articles Published)

Danielle Bruncati was born and raised in Southern California and has been a story-teller for as long as she can remember. She is currently a freelance writer for ScreenRant and is also pursuing a Master’s Degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top 10 film school. When she’s not writing, Danielle can be found binging the latest sitcom or teen tv series with her dog by her side or walking around Disneyland with a Mickey-shaped snack in hand.

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