Prince Harry’s recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert sparked more than a few laughs when he jokingly claimed he was off to audition for a Hallmark-style Christmas movie titled The Gingerbread Christmas Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska. While this is almost certainly a playful quip, it does reveal something more profound about the American fascination with royalty, particularly the royals’ role as figures of entertainment.
“The fascination with royalty is more than a passing trend—it’s embedded in our culture. Whether real or fictional, royals serve as the ultimate escapist fantasy for millions,” says cultural analyst Emily Carter.
As The Crown wrapped up its acclaimed run in 2023, the monarchy’s power and influence were no longer the main point of focus. Instead, it became clear that Americans, particularly those in the entertainment industry are far more enamoured with the glamour, drama, and escapism that the royals bring to our screens. With Harry’s joke, he reinforces a growing trend: royals have become as much a part of our cultural entertainment as they have our history books.
Overview: Prince Harry Chasing a Hallmark Christmas Movie
The American fascination with royalty has evolved over the years, and it’s clear that fictionalized depictions of royal life are just as compelling as the real-life drama. Here’s a look at the core elements surrounding the growing popularity of royal-themed entertainment:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Prince Harry’s Quote | “You Americans are obsessed with Christmas movies and you’re clearly obsessed with royalty, so why not?” |
| Royalty in Entertainment | Royals as entertainment rather than figures of political power |
| Cultural Impact | Television, movies, and pop culture’s portrayal of royalty |
| Iconic Royal Films | Netflix’s A Christmas Prince, Hallmark’s royal-themed holiday films |
| Monarchy’s Entertainment Shift | The growing trend of royalty being portrayed as romantic leads in films |
Royals Becoming a Fixture of Popular Culture
While the British monarchy remains a significant institution, the public’s relationship with it has shifted. Royals no longer just represent governance; they have transformed into figures of fascination and entertainment. This transformation has been evident for years, with events like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018 drawing millions of American viewers. It was an event filled with celebrity appearances and high-profile guests like Idris Elba and Tom Hardy, encapsulating the spectacle surrounding modern royalty.
“Harry’s joke about Hallmark movies highlights the way the monarchy is now viewed as a source of entertainment, rather than just a political institution. It’s a shift that is only growing,” notes TV critic James Hawkins.
Moreover, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties and sat down for an explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the public’s obsession only intensified. The interview set a Google search history record, demonstrating how much Americans are drawn to the drama surrounding the royal family.
Why Do Americans Care About Royals?
Americans’ fascination with royalty seems to be a mix of escapism and cultural traditions. It’s easier to watch the monarchy’s drama unfold than to confront our own political issues. Additionally, the concept of royalty is deeply embedded in American culture. From high school proms crowning kings and queens to the use of “yas queen” in pop culture, royalty has taken on an aspirational, almost mythical, quality.
Royals and the Rise of Holiday Entertainment
The rise of royal-themed films, particularly during the holiday season, has become a major trend in both Hallmark and Netflix’s seasonal programming. These films, filled with predictability and heartwarming romance, reflect the American desire for a royal fairy tale complete with meet-cutes, holiday cheer, and, of course, happily ever afters.
“Royals have always been figures of fantasy, but now more than ever, they’re part of our favorite fictional narratives, especially in films that promise love and happily ever after,” explains pop culture historian Sarah Fitzgerald.
Netflix, in particular, has capitalised on this love of royal romance. Vanessa Hudgens starred in not one, but two holiday movies that play with the idea of royalty: The Princess Switch trilogy, where she plays a chef and a princess who switch places, and The Knight Before Christmas, where she falls in love with an actual knight. Then there’s A Christmas Prince, which features a royal who closely mirrors Prince Harry only this one falls for a reporter trying to dig up dirt on him.
Netflix vs. Hallmark: The Royal Battle
It’s clear that Netflix has embraced the royal genre, with films like A Christmas Prince offering a modern-day fairy tale with a royal twist. While Hallmark is known for churning out holiday romances, Netflix’s ventures into the royal world seem to resonate more with contemporary audiences, who are seeking both a sense of nostalgia and a splash of glamour. Whether it’s through Vanessa Hudgens’ princess antics or fictional princes falling for everyday people, Netflix seems to be winning the royal-themed holiday film battle.
The Real and Fictional Royals: What’s the Appeal?
Prince Harry’s joke about auditioning for a Hallmark Christmas film may not materialize into reality, but it speaks volumes about the public’s ongoing interest in royal figures. Whether they are actual monarchs or fictional princes and princesses, we’re enamored with their lives, struggles, and, most importantly, their romantic entanglements. The royals’ ability to capture our imaginations stems from their larger-than-life personas, which are perfect for escapism through film and television.
What makes these royal stories so appealing is the contrast between their elevated status and relatable human emotions. In these films, royals are often presented as navigating issues of love, loyalty, and family, just like anyone else. This formula is appealing in a world that often feels chaotic, offering viewers a temporary escape into a glittering world of wealth and romance.
Why It Matters?
As The Crown came to a close in 2023, it marked the end of an era for royal-centric drama on television. The show, which dramatised the life of Queen Elizabeth II, captivated audiences for multiple seasons. However, even as the series wrapped, the ongoing trend of royal-themed entertainment continued, as shown by Netflix’s embrace of films like A Christmas Prince.
Prince Harry’s shift from being an actual member of the royal family to an entertainment personality mirrors the larger cultural shift: royals are now figures of fascination and entertainment, rather than pure political authority. While Harry may not star in a Hallmark Christmas movie anytime soon, his comment underscores a larger truth about the monarchy’s place in our culture today: it’s less about ruling and more about captivating our imaginations on screen.
FAQs
He joked that he was auditioning for a Hallmark-style Christmas movie titled The Gingerbread Christmas Prince Saves Christmas in Nebraska.
American interest in royalty stems from a mix of escapism, pop culture influence, and the romanticized view of monarchs as larger-than-life figures.
Netflix has produced several royal-themed holiday films, including A Christmas Prince and The Princess Switch, which cater to audiences’ love of romanticized royalty.
Their wedding was a televised spectacle watched by millions of Americans, solidifying the public’s ongoing fascination with the royal family.
As seen with Netflix’s growing slate of royal films, the genre remains popular, with audiences eagerly awaiting more stories about love, family, and royalty.
