15 Best Royal Christmas Movies & Why You Should Watch Them

Christmas is often called the most wonderful time of the year, and it’s easy to see why. Everything feels warm, festive, and beautiful. It has a way of making even simple homes feel special, and we all enjoy those happy, joyful moments.

There’s nothing quite like a good Christmas movie to get you feeling festive! So, here’s a list of 15 of the best Christmas movies with royal themes, ranked by their IMDb ratings. They might be a little predictable and cheesy, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want! Enjoy the list!

15. A Royal Christmas Ball (2017)

IMDb rating: 4.6/10

King Charles, recently widowed at 39, finds himself without a partner for the annual Christmas Ball. This prompts him to revisit a past romance with a woman he dated while studying abroad in college. However, he’s surprised to discover she now has a teenage daughter who may share a connection with him.

Okay, buckle up, because this movie is… something else. It’s genuinely disturbing, but not in a way that’ll keep you up at night – it’s so over-the-top and silly that I found myself laughing hysterically. The premise? It’s wild. We’re talking a king – King Charles of Baltamia, no less – whose wife just died, but he’s already pining after his college girlfriend. Seriously, the sheer audacity of the plot is what makes it so entertaining. It’s a horror movie you can genuinely have a good laugh at.

He finally finds her, only to discover she never married and has a daughter he didn’t know existed. He’d broken off contact with her seventeen years earlier. It’s absurd, but he needed a date to the royal ball, so he essentially ‘rescued’ her for the night. It’s a ridiculous situation, but also quite humorous.

14. My Christmas Prince (2017)

IMDb rating: 5.2/10

Samantha, a young teacher, is happily dating her boyfriend, Alex. But her world turns upside down when a friend reveals Alex is actually a prince! Now, Samantha must decide if she’s willing to give up her teaching career and embrace a life of royalty.

If you’re looking for a feel-good Christmas movie, this one delivers! It’s not a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s charming, visually lovely, and easy to enjoy – you don’t need to pay close attention to the story to have a good time.

I enjoyed that Samantha and Alex already had a relationship before she learned he was a prince. It was nice that she wasn’t just interested in his money, unlike many other characters you see in stories like this.

13. Christmas With A Prince (2018)

IMDb rating: 5.3/10

Tasha Miller is a dedicated worker at a clinic for children with cancer, but the clinic is facing financial difficulties. When Prince Alexander Cavalieri injures his leg skiing, Tasha’s brother, Jeff – a childhood friend of the Prince – comes up with a plan: they secretly hide the Prince on Tasha’s floor to keep the media from finding out.

Tasha was furious at first, but she eventually agreed when they offered to fund her clinic and support her work with the children. Over time, Tasha and the Prince discovered they actually had a lot in common.

It’s a bit of a familiar, traditional Christmas movie, but it’s genuinely heartwarming. I wasn’t a fan of the Prince, though – he came across as arrogant. Still, he did a good thing by helping the children, which makes him somewhat likable.

12. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding (2018)

IMDb rating: 5.3/10

A year after helping Prince Richard become king, journalist Amber is preparing for their wedding. However, she’s starting to wonder if she’s truly ready to be queen, especially as she feels neglected and the King seems increasingly preoccupied.

This movie is a sequel to the popular Netflix film, A Christmas Prince. While some viewers were disappointed that it focused more on Amber tackling the economic challenges of Richard’s kingdom rather than their love story, I personally enjoyed that shift in focus.

11. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)

IMDb rating: 5.4/10

It’s almost Christmas in Aldovia, and this year, instead of a wedding, the King and Queen are expecting a baby! They’re busy preparing for their new arrival, but first, they have to host the King and Queen of Penglia. This visit is important because it will renew a 600-year-old peace treaty between their kingdoms.

On a wild and stormy Christmas Eve, a priceless treaty is stolen, and Amber must find the thief before midnight. If she fails, an old family curse could come true.

If you weren’t thrilled with the second movie, prepare yourself! This third installment introduces a royal baby, a mysterious curse, and a delicate peace agreement with neighboring kingdoms. The story follows Amber, a journalist who also happens to be queen, as she tries to manage everything. It’s a sweet and charming film – my girlfriend especially enjoyed it!

10. A Christmas Prince (2017)

IMDb rating: 5.8/10

Amber, a journalist, takes a job as a tutor with a secret mission: to uncover the truth about Prince Richard of Aldovia, who’s known for being a playboy. But as she gets to know him, she discovers he’s much more than the media portrays. A romance begins to blossom, but Amber worries her deception could ruin everything.

If you’re looking for a classic, feel-good Christmas movie, you should definitely check out A Christmas Prince – it’s the first (and many say best!) in the Netflix trilogy. It hits all the familiar holiday movie tropes, and to make it even more fun, BuzzFeed Australia created a drinking game to play while you watch!

9. A Prince for Christmas (2015)

IMDb rating: 5.9/10

Prince Duncan of Balemont is facing a marriage he doesn’t want, so he flees to America under a false name. When his car breaks down during a snowstorm, he meets Emma, a diner waitress, and they begin a romance. Duncan keeps his true identity a secret from her.

Despite some weak dialogue, a predictable plot, and a soap opera-like feel, this movie is worth checking out. The two main actors have an unusual but engaging chemistry, and the story surprisingly improves as it goes on. The current rating seems fair.

8. The Princess Switch (2018)

IMDb rating: 6.0/10

Sacy, a talented baker, travels to Belgravia to compete in a Royal Christmas Baking Contest. She unexpectedly meets Margaret Delacourt, the Prince’s soon-to-be wife, who longs for a taste of ordinary life before her wedding. When they realize they’re identical, they hatch a plan to swap places for a couple of days – but things don’t go quite as planned!

If you enjoyed The Parent Trap, you’ll probably like this movie! It’s a similar story, but with adult twins. Instead of trying to get their parents back together, they swap lives. It’s a really popular film – so much so that it has two sequels that follow the same premise. While the first switch is entertaining, the subsequent ones aren’t quite as good.

7. Once Upon A Holiday (2015)

IMDb rating: 6.1/10

Katie is a princess who’s fed up with her royal responsibilities and longs for a normal life. She decides to run away, and while exploring New York City, she meets a kind man who shows her around and quickly falls in love with her. The story follows whether their romance can survive when he discovers her true identity.

This is another one of those classic Hallmark Christmas movies – they make a lot of them every year! But I actually enjoyed this one. It’s surprisingly funny, even with all the familiar holiday tropes, and I appreciated that it featured a princess running from royal life, which is a nice change from the usual prince-focused Christmas stories.

6. Christmas At The Palace (2018)

IMDb rating: 6.3/10

The story centers around King Alexander of San Senova, who enlists the help of Katie, a former ice skater, to teach his daughter to skate for a Christmas show. As they work together, Alexander and Katie fall in love, but his mother and the citizens of San Senova are hesitant to accept Katie – an outsider and not of royal birth – as their future Queen.

Hallmark makes a lot of Christmas movies, and while some are better than others, ‘Christmas at the Palace’ is a good one. It’s a little over-the-top, but it perfectly balances romance, humor, festive cheer, and a royal setting, leaving you feeling happy and relaxed.

5. A Princess For Christmas (2011)

IMDb rating: 6.3/10

The story follows Jules, a woman from Buffalo, New York, who becomes the sole caretaker of her niece and nephew after her sister and brother-in-law die in a heartbreaking accident. When Jules unexpectedly loses her job, a surprising offer arrives: an invitation from the children’s grandfather, the Duke of Castlebury, to spend Christmas at his castle.

At Castlebury, Jules and Roger’s son, Ashton, finds love. But will this new relationship be enough to keep Jules and her children from leaving?

If you’re looking for a classic royal Christmas movie, this one is worth checking out! I only discovered it recently, but it’s surprisingly enjoyable. The plot has a slightly strange twist – the main characters are almost related – but the cast is really good. Roger Moore, for example, plays the prince’s father. Overall, it’s a genuinely sweet movie.

4. Royal Matchmaker (2018)

IMDb rating: 6.5/10

Prince Sebastian of Voldavia is looking for a wife, but he hasn’t found anyone he truly connects with. His family brings in Kate Gleason, a professional matchmaker, to help. As Kate and Sebastian work together, they discover they might be the perfect match for each other, not just as professional partners, but as a couple.

This movie offers a fun and unique take on the typical royal Christmas romance. Instead of being a tutor or journalist, the main character is hired as a matchmaker for the royal family! She successfully finds a match for the prince within the given timeframe, but unexpectedly falls in love with him herself.

Okay, it might not be as refreshing as I initially thought.

3. A Royal Christmas (2014)

IMDb rating: 6.5/10

Okay, so this movie is a total classic! It’s about Leopold, who’s actually a prince from a small European country, but he’s pretending to be a regular guy while studying in Philadelphia. He falls for Emily, a sweet seamstress, and they get seriously into each other – like, engaged! But here’s the kicker: he doesn’t tell her he’s royalty until after she says yes. Then it turns out his mom is a queen! It’s a fun story about love and figuring out how to make two very different worlds collide.

I’m completely captivated by Leopold and Emily’s story! He’s brought her back to Cordinia, determined to make her his Queen, but his mother, Isadora, is absolutely against it. She’s desperate for him to marry someone from their world – specifically, Natasha, the Duchess of Warren. I’m on the edge of my seat wondering if their love will be enough to overcome Isadora’s scheming, or if she’ll succeed in keeping them apart!

If you’re looking for a fun and engaging royal romance, this one delivers! Stephen Hagan does a fantastic job as Prince Leopold, and while the story isn’t groundbreaking, it’s well-written and entertaining. Expect plenty of cheesy humor and heartwarming moments as you root for the characters to find love – and, predictably, they do!

2. Crown for Christmas (2015)

IMDb rating: 6.9/10

Allie loses her job as a hotel maid after being unfairly blamed for a room not being ready. Luckily, a man named Fergus witnesses the situation and offers her a new opportunity: a governess position in Europe, caring for a young girl.

Allie arrives and quickly discovers she’s working for King Maximillian of Winshire, a widower, and that her student is his mischievous daughter, Princess Theodora, who has driven away all her previous tutors since her mother passed away. Allie manages to help the King and Princess reconnect, winning their affection just before the King is set to marry a snobbish Countess.

You might be wondering if you should bother with this movie, considering its plot is similar to many others. It’s a royal Christmas story, and honestly, it’s surprisingly good – better than most films with the same basic idea.

The acting was actually quite good, and I truly enjoyed the movie – it wasn’t just a mindless indulgence, it was genuinely fun! Beyond the main characters, Allie and Max, there are a lot of other endearing characters, like Fergus, Chancellor Riggs, and Theodora, who really stand out.

1. One Royal Holiday (2020)

IMDb rating: 7.0/10

Anna runs a cozy inn in Connecticut. When a mother and son get caught in a blizzard, she welcomes them inside. She soon discovers they aren’t ordinary travelers – they’re actually the royal family from the country of Galwick.

The Prince is feeling down and isn’t excited about Christmas, but Anna helps him rediscover the joy and warmth of the season by encouraging him to embrace it. As they share this experience, they unexpectedly begin to fall for each other.

This Hallmark movie is a winner! After making so many similar films, they really nailed this one. What makes it stand out is that both main characters are genuinely likable, and surprisingly, even the Prince’s family supports their romance.

I think this is the best movie on the list. It might seem a little predictable – honestly, most of these movies are – but you’re guaranteed to enjoy it.

2025-12-21 16:48