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15 Shows & Movies About The Royals To Watch After The Crown
There's plenty of royal intrigue to go around.
The wait between seasons of The Crown can be lengthy, but there are plenty of shows and movies about the royals to watch in the meantime.
If you're one of those people who doesn't like how dramatized the show can be at times, we've rounded up several documentaries that dive into the real moments touched on in The Crown. But there are also plenty of other dramas on here full of soapy plotlines. It's a healthy mix of fictionalized takes on the royals and docuseries you can watch to get your facts. Some of the offerings take viewers back to long before Queen Elizabeth II inherited the crown. Some follow stories of monarchs in Scotland or Russia. And others bring us up to the modern royal era with Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle marrying Prince William and Prince Harry.
While The Crown has been renewed for two more seasons, those won't reach current day events. Seasons 5 and 6 will continue to explore Princess Diana's impact on the royal family and her untimely death before the show concludes after the Season 6 — a shame, really, because seeing The Crown's take on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's exit from the monarchy would have been epic.
Below, anything and everything you can consume to get your royals fix outside of The Crown.
The Royal House of Windsor
Like The Crown, this series explores the modern royal family — beginning with Edward VIII's abdication. The difference is that it's a docuseries, so there's none of the dramatization that The Crown has. The show takes viewers up to recent present day, with Prince William meeting Kate Middleton.
Diana: In Her Own Words
In the '90s, the princess collaborated on a tell-all with author Andrew Morton in which she dove into everything from her struggles with the royal family to Prince Charles' affair. This documentary uses Morton's recordings of their conversations to provide Diana's perspective on her life as princess.
The Tudors
Long before Queen Elizabeth II, King Henry VIII ruled for more than 40 years in the 16th century. This drama series follows the early years of his reign and introduces other iconic figures along the way like his controversial wife, Anne Boleyn.
The Queen
Starring Helen Mirren as Her Majesty, this film explores the aftermath of Princess Diana's death for the royals. Mirren's portrayal of the Queen earned her the Best Actress Oscar that year.
The Iron Lady
If The Crown Season 4 left you wanting to know more about Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, this film has you covered. The biopic stars Meryl Streep as the infamously tough leader.
Victoria
The Crown begins with young Queen Elizabeth (then Princess Elizabeth) succeeding to the throne. Victoria takes viewers further back in time, following Elizabeth's great-great grandmother's reign. (Victoria is also Prince Philip's great-great grandmother on his maternal side, making the queen and her husband third cousins.)
The Windsors
This parody series of the royal family will make the dramatized events of The Crown look like a documentary. In contrast, The Windsors plays up the soap opera angle of the monarchy to comedic effect, and not even modern royals like William and Kate are excluded from the parody.
William and Kate: A Royal Love Story
Leading up to Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding, this documentary explored their rise from college sweethearts to the future King and Queen. Since The Crown will end before reaching Will and Kate's love story, this is the next best thing.
Stream it on Hulu or Tubi
Reign
This steamy drama series follows Mary Queen of Scots' early years as a young woman who ruled Scotland in the 16th century after ascending to the throne at only six days old.
The Last Czars
If you want to explore a monarchy outside of the UK, try The Last Czars, a drama about the legendary Romanov dynasty in Russia in the early 17th century.
Queen of the World
This documentary explores the Queen's impact on the global stage, and how the younger royals will eventually have to step up to take on her duties.
Diana
Naomi Watts plays Diana in this biopic that focuses on the last two years of her life. Until The Crown Season 5 comes out to continue to Diana's journey, this film can fill in some of the gaps.
The Windsors: Inside the Royal Dynasty
Like The Crown, this docuseries begins at Edward VIII's abdication, but it goes further than The Crown will, taking viewers up through the Meghan Markle and Prince Harry era. CNN reports that its use of "rare archival footage and insider interviews" will paint a factual picture while delving into some of the same topics the Netflix series dramatizes.
Stream it on CNN Go
The Great
Elle Fanning stars in this comedy series about the rise of Catherine the Great. It's loosely based on the real life of the Empress of Russia who ruled from 1762 until 1796, but the series is far from a serious take on the subject.
Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy
The Crown is not authorized by the royal family, but this documentary about Princess Diana was approved by both Prince Harry and Prince William. The two were interviewed for the film and spoke about growing up with mother publicly for the first time since her death.
