The 4 Best Films About Queen Elizabeth II to Watch Ahead of ‘The Crown’ Season 5
The highly anticipated fifth season of The Crown will be released on Nov. 9. And, as the trailer shows, it’s going to dive into Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles’ separation as well as some of the most tumultuous times during Queen Elizabeth II‘s reign in the ’90s. So while we’re awaiting the exact minute until we can start steaming the new season of the Netflix drama, here are four films about the late monarch that you can watch right now.
‘The Queen’ (2006)
The 2006 movie simply titled The Queen was written by The Crown creator Peter Morgan. It takes place in 1997 following the general election and the death of Princess Diana. The film focuses on the royal family matriarch’s experience navigating the negative press she received and the decisions she made after her former daughter-in-law died.
The biographical drama stars Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II. The actor won an Oscar for her performance and was even invited to dinner at Buckingham Palace by the monarch. The film also stars Michael Sheen as Tony Blair, James Cromwell as Prince Philip, and Alex Jennings, who also played King Edward VIII/Duke of Windsor in seasons 1 and 2 of The Crown, as Prince Charles.
The Queen can currently be streamed on HBO Max and Roku. It’s also available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video, and Google Play Movies.
Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts (2022)
Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts is a documentary about the late queen’s life. It contains archival footage from her childhood, her wedding, her accession, her coronation, and of course her “annus horribilis” in 1992.
Some of the clips have been widely viewed before, but rare footage is included such as her trip to Dresden, Germany where she was roundly booed.
Elizabeth: A Portrait in Parts is available now on several streaming platforms including Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+.
‘Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen’ (2022)
The BBC documentary Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen tells her life story in her own words using previously unseen footage and unique home movies. It includes her engagement at Balmoral and behind-the-scenes footage of her first tour abroad with her family.
Elizabeth: The Unseen Queen is available to watch on Roku and Amazon Prime Video with BBC Select.
‘A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’ (2022)
A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen is a TV special that was released one day after her death on Sept. 8, 2022. It features King Charles and her other children speaking about their mother’s life and legacy. it also includes interviews with public figures and those who worked for the queen during her 70-year-reign.
The program is filled with intimate stories about the monarch which serves as a fitting tribute to the woman behind the Crown.
A Tribute to Her Majesty the Queen is currently available for streaming on fuboTV, Roku, and AMC+.
