Hot on the heels of Queen Camilla’s surprising admission that she is a huge Bridgerton fan, we take a closer look at some of the other TV shows adored by the royal family
When it comes to life in the royal spotlight, it’s hard to imagine members of the royal family having much free time due to their busy schedule of engagements. Yet when they do manage to find a rare moment to themselves, just like many of us, the royals are no stranger to settling down in front of the TV to watch their favourite shows.
In fact, just last week, Queen Camilla delighted royal fans when she admitted she had been watching Bridgerton, during an appearance at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show – just in time to visit a stunning garden inspired by the hit Netflix show. While visiting the garden which was designed by Holly Johnston, the Queen revealed “I watched the first lot” of Bridgerton season three, with the second half of the series due to be released on June 13.
READ MORE: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle issued warning against going on another unofficial ‘royal tour’
However, it isn’t just Bridgerton that the royals have fallen in love with over the years, as several smash-hit shows have earned a place in the royal family’s heart. Here, we take a closer look at some of the most popular shows that have earned the royal seal of approval….
The Crown
Claire Foy and Vanessa Kirby portrayed Queen Elizabeth and sister Margaret in the first two series of The Crown
Although The Crown has highlighted some of the more controversial moments in royal history, the popular Netflix series which charted the life of Queen Elizabeth was a surprising hit with the royal family.
During an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Princess Margaret actress Vanessa Kirby once recalled: “”A friend of mine was at a party and didn’t know anyone, so he sidled up to this group who were talking about The Crown. One girl said, ‘Well, my granny watches it and really likes it’. It slowly dawned on him that the girl was Eugenie and her granny was the Queen.”
Eugenie’s mother Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York was also reportedly a huge fan of the series, and confessed herself that she “loved’ the way her 1986 wedding to Prince Andrew had been incorporated into season 4.
Britain’s Got Talent
Amanda Holden previously let slip that Prince Harry was a big fan of Britain’s Got Talent
With the winners of Britain’s Got Talent famously securing a chance to perform at the Royal Variety Performance, it’s perhaps no surprise that the royal family are huge fans of the series, with Prince Harry in particular having once expressed his adoration for the show.
Chatting to the Independent, judge Amanda Holden once revealed that Harry had cheekily asked if then-judge Piers Morgan was “really a prat” to which she candidly replied: “You can’t say that but yes!”
Game of Thrones
Prince William once revealed that he and wife Kate were huge fans of Game of Thrones, with one of the stars even admitting they had try to coax spoilers out of him (
Image:
Home Box Office Inc.)
Prince William previously revealed that he and Kate were huge fans of fantasy drama series Game of Thrones when it aired between 2011 and 2019. The surprising admission came during a radio show, when William recommended it to the host who hadn’t yet watched it. “You should definitely watch Game of Thrones, that’s worth watching,” he told her.
In addition, they also reportedly told Jaquan H’ghar actor Tom Wlaschiha that they had “watched every series”, and even tried to coax spoilers out of the star. Reflecting on his experience with the royals, Tom told the Evening Standard: “They wanted spoilers but I said I couldn’t tell them. I’m surprised they have time to watch such a long running series.”
Fireman Sam
Prince George was once so thrilled by Fireman Sam, the show creators dedicated a whole episode to him (
Image:
Getty)
It isn’t just the older royals that have their favourite shows either, as Prince George was once so invested in animated series Fireman Sam that the creators made him his very own episode. Speaking on BBC Radio One, Kate Middleton revealed: “Fireman Sam has taken an awful lot of interest.”
In addition to the love of the characters, George had also been captivated by the helicopters which featured in the show and was even once spotted purchasing a Fireman Sam book from a charity shop for him.
Clearly impressed by his unwavering support, the show creators decided to dedicate a whole episode to the young Prince, and for the 30th anniversary they gave both George and William a cameo of sorts in the episode entitled: The Prince in Pontypandy.
Set in the fictional Welsh village of Pontypandy where Sam and his fire crew live, the small village was visited by an unnamed royal prince. During the visit, Sam and his crew were given the task of organising the event, however, when one of the character’s falls down a ravine the prince himself comes to the rescue in a helicopter.
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing holds a special place in several royal fans’ hearts (
Image:
PA)
Another show that continues to be a huge hit in the royal household, is BBC dance show Strictly Come Dancing. Famously adored by Kate Middleton and her mother Carole, it appears the love of the show has also been inherited by Prince Louis!
The youngest son of Prince William and wife Kate visited the iconic set last December, where he was mesmerised by catching a glimpse of all the action backstage and even requested to take home one of the costume crowns!
Jeopardy
Prince Harry once revealed that his ideal night in with wife Meghan Markle involved watching Jeopardy on TV (
Image:
ABC via Getty Images)
While it may not have garnered much of a fan following in the UK, over in the US, gameshow Jeopardy is a staple of many American households and back in February 2021, Prince Harry revealed he too had been bit by the quiz-show bug, while appearing on The Late Late Show.
Sharing an insight into the perfect night in, Harry told host James Corden: “Meg might cook a meal, we might order a takeaway, go upstairs, sit in bed, turn the TV on, watch some Jeopardy, maybe watch a little bit of Netflix.”
Downton Abbey
The late Queen was a huge fan of Downton Abbey (
Image:
Daily Mirror)
One of the late Queen’s favourite shows was ITV period drama Downton Abbey, reports the Daily Telegraph, with the monarch having regularly sat down on Sunday evenings to watch the series when it aired between 2011 and 2018.
In addition to being charmed by the cast and storylines, according to the newspaper The Queen was also surprisingly critical of the show too, and would “point out things they have got wrong” as she was familiar with Highclere Castle, where the show was filmed.
Blackadder
Prince William revealed he was a massive Blackadder fan back in 2020 (
Image:
BBC)
At the height of the pandemic back in 2020, Prince William famously took part in the BBC’s The Big Night In performance, to support front-line workers helping to keep the country running and people at home safe. As part of the show, William teamed up with Stephen Fry for a very special Blackadder themed sketch, before revealing that it was one of his favourite TV shows.
In a further insight into his viewing habits, during the same sketch, William also joked about missing EastEnders after asking Stephen for recommendations on what to watch. Hilariously, Stephen then suggested Netflix documentary Tiger King, to which William admitted he “avoids shows about royalty!” much to the amusement of viewers at home
