For someone who always prefers historical romances to modern-day ones, holiday movies featuring royals tend to be hard to love, but that’s not the case with Hallmark‘s A Royal Queens Christmas. It might just be my favorite one since A Princess for Christmas.
Starring Megan Park, Julian Morris, Nicola Correia-Damude, Jonelle Gunderson, Ramona Milano, and more A Royal Queens Christmas is one of the sweetest love stories following a disguised prince who steps in to fill a piano player’s position at an annual performance.
While it’s unclear what was happening with the Italian/American accents in this film, every other part of it is genuinely aces. Park and Morris have such strong chemistry that it was easy to root hard for them from the first run-in to every tension-filled conversation. While I wish we could’ve spent way more time with them in the longing area, it was still so heavy, surely I wasn’t the only one screaming “just kiss each other” already. (Especially during that moment in front of the shop.)
A Royal Queens Christmas is the kind of love story that showcases effortless bonding during the quiet moments. These two simply need to gaze at each other during rehearsals, and it’s game over for the rest of us. In more ways than one, it’s the typical story about royalty wanting to be invisible and wanting a chance to do the thing he isn’t allowed to do outside of duties. Still, more than that, it’s a story about what it means to have direction and no idea where it’s going. Both DeeDee and Colin have some interesting struggles in their personal lives—combine the two, and we’re seeing the kind of love story that’s easily believable despite its fantastical elements.
The simple moments in the beginning are some of the best. Watching Colin navigate through making snowmen, learning about the town, and getting stuck inside of their house during a storm is everything one hopes a holiday story would include. But more importantly, it’s Morris’ performances that work so well in making his status believable. No, but honestly, I’m thankful the film cast an English man instead of giving him a terrible accent to work through. Morris’ wide-eyed approach to the freedom outside of the palace and Park’s gorgeous embodiment of renewed hope works so well in the love story. I say this frequently, but truly, if there is any royals story that deserves a sequel it’s this.
I want to see DeeDee and Colin navigate through their romance, engagements, marriage, the whole thing. The film’s exploration of simple moments worked so well because of the lovely characterization, but also, holy ornaments, the decor was everything. There’s an actual restaurant that just looks like a Christmas dream, and their moments there, in particular, were the sweetest.
Just about as cheesy as you’d expect it to be, but the film is full of some gorgeous scenery and adorable moments between everyone involved.
Editor Note: I see all your comments about the costumes. That’s not something I would’ve ever noticed as I’m not familiar with what some of them represent, and I have no idea how the film let this pass. But sadly, it also doesn’t surprise me considering so much of this is recycled and they absolutely need to do better in the future.
Similar Christmas Film Recommendations: One Royal Holiday, The Princess Switch, and A Royal Corgi Christmas
What are your thoughts on A Royal Queens Christmas? Let us know in the comments below.
Why did they use a US Marine Corps uniform for him? And with the insignia of a Private? That’s just off. I mean at least take the rank off and change the buttons on it. Then to top it off General’s stars over the breast pockets on both sides. Come on Hallmark can do better. The storyline is good enough. I wish the female lead showed a bit more of military background, since she served.
Marine Veteran here. It’s the insignia of a Lance Corporal, not a Private. A Private dons no rank insignia, but a Private First Class dons one stripe up, no cross rifles.
Totally agree on the uniform. Those of us associated with actual Marines (I work at Camp Lejeune) find it a little off-putting! Hallmark can’t afford a seamstress to whip up something “like” the regal Marine dress uniform?? Or did someone on their staff just happen to have a husband/son who served who was like, “Hey, I have a thought…”
The storyline around Daphne is strange! She brings a military dog home from her tour if duty, helps others to bring their military dogs home, and then describes herself as a nurse……strange!? I am sure that we were all prepared for her being a soldier after we were given her backstory.
I didn’t realize the significance of the uniform that Colin wore, though I’ve been a lifelong civilian.
While I enjoyed the movie, and especially the performance of the two leads, there were some aspects of the story that made me wonder why they were included. Was it to make the characters seem more “real”, to pad the length of the story, or (in at least one case) to inject a little absurdist humor into it? For example:
– I expected to see/learn more about DeeDee’s dog other than essentially being a prop in a few scenes and to explain what DeeDee did in the Army.
– When it was disclosed that both Colin and DeeDee had received piano Christmas ornaments from their grandfather, at first I thought maybe they were secretly related (maybe Grandpa got around). Then I wondered if Colin’s Exeter grandfather fought DeeDee’s Italian grandfather during the war.
– The issue with Zoe being engaged for two years with mo hope of ever getting married, but then suddenly she and her fiance pick a date. Why now?
– I was surprised at how Colin was forced to spend the night at the Paretti home when it snowed, but yet Whitbey was able to easily get out there the next morning on the subway from I presume midtown Manhattan.
– The most absurd scene (to me) was Colin pawning his watch for a scooter and somehow making it to Queens in a short time from (again, presumably) midtown Manhattan – after dark and in the winter with snow on the ground. Even if the charity function were in Brooklyn, good luck making it to Queens by the next morning. And did the scooter have GPS for him to navigate?
Having proudly served in the United States Marine Corps I found the abomination that Hallmark allowed with the USMC uniform beyond disrespectful. Every person involved in the production and performance of this story should be ashamed of themselves.
Who was actually playing the piano when the prince was playing. He was very very good
Absolutely delightful – wonderful chemistry between DD and Colin – superb piano playing – whoever did it!!