Dan Snow Rates Portrayals of English Kings and Queens in Movies

Ahead of the coronation of King Charles III, historian Dan Snow reviews depictions of kings and queens of England and Great Britain in famous movies, from Edward I to George VI.

First up, he rates Colin Firth's depiction of the stammering George VI in 'The King's Speech' (2010), with sibling rivalry within the royal family popping up as a theme.

Next, it's Queen Anne as played by Olivia Colman in 'The Favourite' (2018). Dan thinks we should give more credit to Queen Anne for her role in making Britain a global power.

Inaccuracies in the chilling portrayal of Edward I 'Longshanks' in the 90s blockbuster Braveheart (1995) also come under scrutiny. Interactions between Edward and the Prince of Wales, who would go on to become Edward II, are seen as particularly problematic.

Kenneth Branagh played Shakespeare's Henry V in a movie of the same name, but how close to reality is the famous speech given by Henry before the Battle of Agincourt?

'The Madness of King George' (1994) is up for review next. Dan discusses the complicated relationship between George and his son, as well as the possible causes of his so-called madness.

Finally, Laurence Oliver's portrayal of the Shakespearean arch-villain Richard III is also criticised for historical accuracy. It's now thought that this popular perception of the last Plantaganet king had much to do with the attitudes of the Tudor dynasty that had usurped him.

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00:00 Introduction
00:31 George VI in The King's Speech
07:54 Queen Anne in The Favourite
12:57 Edward I in Braveheart
17:25 Henry V in Henry V
23:46 George III in The Madness of King George
29:23 Richard III in Richard III

[HistoryHit]

Hope you enjoyed guys! Let us know if you agreed or disagreed with Dan's views... 🤔 What do you think is the best portrayal of a British monarch in cinema history? 📽

[patty]

My dad (who was born in 1930) said that everyone was aware of the King's speech difficulties. His aunts would often comment after a radio address about how much the King's speaking had improved. They respected the effort and the courage of the King.

[CeramicShenanigans]

My grandma remembered hearing King George's speech when she lived in England. She said they were all very proud of their king because they knew he wasnt born for this, his stammer was well known but still he gave such a powerful speech and was a strong figure during the war.

[bvansenu]

To have one miscarriage or child die in infancy is tragic. To have 17 because it was so so important for her to create an heir is such an unimaginable horror I can't even begin to fathom her pain.

[firewheels]

I'm really impressed that Dan Snow commented on the views of disability and its framing of evil characters in movies/literature, etc. Thank you for lifting that up and showing that we can move past that.

[quineloe]

The utter failure of not covering Blackadder

[gabrieleghut]

Queen Anne has my sympathy. To lose 17 children she must thought of herself as a failure. Specially in those times were women had one major role in life - to have children (male). I think that must have been very difficult/depressing for her to go through this over and over and over again. Nobody cared that she was the ruling Queen.

[peterm]

My vote goes to Peter O'Toole as Henry II and Katherine Hepburn as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter.

[kapten-awesome]

You should have a fixed series of these kinds of videos, so like every Saturday one of these comes. Because I think I can speak for all of us and we love them and want more of them!

[rileydavidson]

Something left out is that Edward I was actually very involved and intimate with his family. Spending time with his children as they grew up and was close with them. He lost many children leading him to cherish his remaining ones, allowing his daughters to have imput on their marriages, some even marrying in secret, aswell as not allowing their marriages until they were of age. And he spent time with his children ahen they grew up, including his daughter who became a nun

Say what you want of Edward Longshanks, but he was a man who loved his family.

[edwarddavenport]

The chainmail armour observation is a good one. It's like a grown-up version of Bob the Builder wearing his tool belt and hardhat in the comfort of his own home.

[danielmorris]

Even if it isnt entirety accurate The Kings Speech is one of my all time favourite films. The writing and performances are superb and it deserved every award it won. ✌️🇨🇦

[rickey]

I love that Alan Bennett's play is called The Madness of George III but the film had to be renamed The Madness of King George so American audiences wouldn't think they missed the first two films in the King George series.

[juliadagnall]

Richard III is a hard character to get a lock on. He was loyal to his eldest brother all his life and yet he usurped his nephews and most likely had them killed. He was well respected in his northern power base and yet he was never really popular in London and towards the end of his life his behavior became increasingly erratic. I do think it’s important to remember that his father and one of his older brothers died in battle when he was only around eight years old and most of his youth and adult life were marked by battle, betrayal, and stunning reversals in fortune. When Edward IV died Richard likely felt threatened. The young Edward V made it clear that he would be loyal to his mother and his elder half-brothers, not his uncle. Richard’s lands and power had been given by the crown and could be taken away by the crown. He had seen firsthand what could happen to inconvenient members of the royal family and he had his own wife and young son to worry about. In the end I think Richard was a product of an unstable time and that while the Tudors were better at PR they were just as vicious towards anyone in a position to challenge their (very shaky) legitimacy.

[karlclark]

As a person with a stammer, I found the King's Speach moving because I can relate to the struggles. Now, I'm no royal, but I have no doubt that the pressures of speaking publicly will exacerbate this vocal affliction. I was envious of the King having Lionel Logue, and I found his methods so enthralling. Logue's approaches were ahead of their time.

[lightwalker]

at 4:30 you see King George VI wearing an Admiral's uniform - it wasn't uncommon for royals to wear military uniforms, as they often held nominal ranks, but he had more right to wear this one than most did! He was in a turret aboard HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland.

[alexanderclancy]

An interesting fact about Lionel Logue was that King George VI made him a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1944. This high honour from a grateful King made Lionel part of the only order of chivalry that specifically rewards acts of personal service to the Monarch. Lionel was with the King for every wartime speech.

[kolinajane]

Hahaha, I had a prof at uni who said the near EXACT same thing about the Georges. “There’s so many of them, and I know it’s hard to keep them all straight. Just remember that they HATED each other.” 😅

[henryvalz]

I just love that Anne's favorite, Sarah Churchill, is the of Winston Churchill, and also the grandmother of Princess Diana. So, Queen Elizabeth II and Ann, both descendants of James (VI and I) would be literally surrounded by Churchills, as her (QE2's) PM and her daughter-in-law were both Churchills, and all her grandchildren and her extended royal line, would be descended from Churchill/Spencers.

[sheltr]

I just love seeing new stuff by Dan Snow (or where he's joined by other presenters)
Thanks Dan!