A Royal Christmas

This is the perfect Christmas movie that is well written well acted and the soundtrack is perfect. Even though the story line itself centres around Leo and Emily and the Queen, every character right down to the servants gives this movie a strong foundation on which it builds itself on. All the little sub plots never leave this movie in a lull and there is an air of true Christmas spirit that leaves you wanting more. Our family enjoyed this movie together it seemed to really kick start the Christmas spirit within us and that's what Christmas movies are all about.I would easily say it's the feel good Christmas movie of the year.

I enjoyed this Hallmark movie. The formula works - a girl falls in love with guy who turns out to be a prince. They travel to his European kingdom where she doesn't quite seem suitable enough a match.

The lead actors are watchable enough. Lacey Chabert isn't stunningly beautiful but she is likable and isn't annoying. Jane Seymour acts well as the disapproving queen. She is still very slim. It's refreshing to see an actress not having undergone plastic surgery, unlike some actresses of her age. Her real life daughter Katie Flynn has a role here. The prince's accent sounds a bit un royal at times.

One fault: The costumes are a bit cheap looking even taking into account it's a TV movie and not a big budget feature like "The Princess Diaries".

Worth one watch.

Hallmark seems fascinated with the whole Prince falls madly in love with unsuitable American girl. Or vice versa. This one is perhaps my favorite. The couple meet and the whole Royal Family thing doesn't really enter into their relationship. Until, Prince has to go home for coronation. Naturally he brings his girlfriend with him.

Jane Seymour is a great actress. Why do they always put her in movies where she has to act like a total bi_ch? We all know the family is going to disapprove. We also know that the Prince will get his girl in the end, otherwise, what's the point?

Anyway, Lacey Chabert is, as always, bubbly, effervescent, charming. She charms all the staff at the palace. There is, per usual, the "royal" who wants to marry the prince and causes trouble.

But overall, a charming movie. Worth having in your top 10 list.

I love Hallmark Christmas movies, and I especially liked this one. It seemed a little too short, though. I noticed one of the other reviewers said that Disney should take lessons from Hallmark--guess what? Disney owns Hallmark and ABC FAMILY. Just different target audiences. But back to the movie... I liked all the actors, but it would have been nice to see Emily,s dad and her friend a little bit more. The castle and clothes were beautiful. The only thing that I found hard to believe was the village scene where nuns are selling things to raise money for an orphanage. If they are supposed to be near France (an industrialized country), why does the village look like it's set in the 1600s? Whenever an American movie has a scene in another country it always looks like something from "A Tale of Two Cities." Yes, I know, that was around 1812. Still, I really liked the movie. I watch Christmas stuff all year long. Just could have been longer. I recommend this film!

A Royal Christmas is a glossy piece of holiday fluff. It's Christmas and who doesn't like a well put together, seasonal movie. Well to start with, some of the critics don't. But we always look for that next classic Christmas movie to go along with Miracle on Thirty-Fourth St., Alistair Sims' or George C. Scott's Scrooge, The Bishop's Wife, Christmas in Connecticut, The Holly and the Ivy and a few more recent ones that come close to being in the classics range like Home Alone or The Santa Clause. Of course, the great ones don't come along every year.

As for this one, I really did take to the leading characters and actors in the movie, with longtime movie stalwart Jayne Seymour as the Queen, adding icing and some icy behaviour to this Christmas cake of a movie. She was impressive in her role as the mother from hell combined with her other role as an elegant and charming Queen of a fantasy land that reminds us of Monaco or Liechtenstein. Lacey Chabert, as the fun-loving seamstress/designer, is a girl with talent and personality who charms the Queen's son and the palace staff (if not the guards) and Stephen Hagan as Leopold James, the Prince Charming who certainly filled the bill as the tall, well-tailored prince madly in love with the girl of his dreams. Katharine Flynn as the wannabe bride, the Duchess of Warren, was the only weak link in an otherwise fine cast. The young couple in love are polar opposites in background and personality but a perfect example of two young people in love, in a fairy tale world of course.

The music, the sets, and the upstairs-downstairs characters and everything about the movie were smartly arranged. The supporting cast was great, from Simon Dutton as the butler (watch for a surprise!) to the family of the commoner in love with her prince. Of course, it was all in the Hallmark tradition of giving us something Christmassy to wallow in for the holidays. See it and just let yourself enjoy the treat.