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. #historyhit #dansnow #kingsandqueens Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free exclusive podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Mary Beard and more. Watch, listen and read history wherever you are, whenever you want it. Available on all devices: Apple TV, Amazon Firestick, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, Roku, Xbox, Chromecast, Xfinity, and iOs & Android. Sign up to History Hit now and get 14 days free: We’re offering a special discount to History Hit for our subscribers, get 50% off your first 3 months with code YOUTUBE:  For more history content, subscribe to our History Hit newsletters: 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