Elizabeth II took the throne at the age of 25, becoming the longest-reigning monarch in British history and the second-longest reigning monarch in the world. 

Over the years, filmmakers have developed a particular interest in the royal family’s lives, particularly the Queen’s. Some of the most well-known actresses working today have played her in movies. 

Let’s look at a few films and shows that chronicle the reign of the British monarch as we remember her.

1. The Queen 

The Queen, directed by Stephen Frears and starring Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth II, is a biographical drama that primarily focuses on the events that occurred following the passing of Princess Diana. Although Prince Charles, Diana’s ex-husband, and Prime Minister Tony Blair supported the general public’s wish for an official statement of grief, the Royal Family believes Diana’s death to be a private matter.

2. The King’s Speech 

The King’s Speech, which is set in the years just before World War II breaks out, has Freya Wilson playing Queen Elizabeth II at a very young age, long before she was the reigning monarch. The film was was nominated for eight Oscars in 2011 and won four of them.

3. A Royal Night Out 

Princess Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) and her sister Margaret are the main characters of the 2015 film A Royal Night Out, which centres on their crazy night out in 1945 to celebrate the end of World War II. Against the Queen’s wishes and because they are tired of the customary rituals, the two sisters decide to sneak out of the palace.

4. The Crown 

The Crown, a historical drama on Netflix, centres on the reign of Queen Elizabeth II in England. The first season of the web series covers the era around the Queen’s union with Philip, Duke of Edinburg. The following seasons focus on the Suez Crisis of 1956, the period from 1964 to 1977, and the union of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.  There will probably be two more seasons of the show that will depict Queen Elizabeth II’s reign in the twenty-first century.

5. Spencer

Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s marriage, which deteriorated over time, is the subject of the movie starring Kristen Stewart as the protagonist. The historical fiction tackles her existential turmoil around Christmas 1991, when she contemplates divorcing Prince Charles.

6. The Royal House of Windsor

The British Royal family faces challenges adjusting to the changing circumstances, as seen in The Royal House of Windsor, which starts with the post-World War 1 era. Interviews with the family members, including Queen Elizabeth II, and footage from real-life events are featured in the documentary.

7.  The Royals 

The popular six-part documentary series, which premiered on BBC 1, follows the royal family’s history from start to finish. The documentary, which delves deeply into the royal families of the United Kingdom, covers everything from romances to scandals.

The Crown‘s next season, which won’t premiere until November 2022, will be starring Ms. Colman as Queen Elizabeth II.