User reviews

On 8 May 1945, the official end of War in Europe was celebrated, and London went wild. Spontaneous parties broke out in the streets, celebrations continued long into the night, and the bars, clubs and other areas devoted to pleasure did a roaring trade.

In Buckingham Palace the young Princesses Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon), than aged nineteen, and sister Margaret (Bel Powley) yearn to join the celebrations, but their stuffed-shirt mother Elizabeth (Emily Watson) and King George VI (Rupert Everett) are particularly reluctant to allow their daughters the freedom to do so. Eventually they agree, so long as the girls are accompanied by two chaperons, Lieutenants Pryce and Burridge (Jack Laskey, Jack Gordon), from Chelsea Barracks.

There begins a wild night of partying, celebration, and chasing, as the two Princesses lose their chaperons and end up moving from place to place - from Piccadilly, to Soho, and thence to Chelsea Barracks - being exposed to aspects of London life that they have never previously experienced, including making the tea. During their one night of freedom they learn something about what ordinary people think of the Royal Family and their role in society.

Based on a true story, and with more than a nod towards classics such as William Wyler's ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953), where a princess (Audrey Hepburn) enjoys a similar night off the leash of protocol, A ROYAL NIGHT OUT tells a picaresque tale, as Princess Margaret gets blind drunk and has to be rescued by her sister, who eventually reveals her true identity when things threaten to get a little out of hand. There are some amusing moments, especially when the Princesses try to communicate with ordinary Londoners in their marked RP accents, thereby proving just how sheltered an existence they have hitherto led.

Gadon and Powley give creditable impersonations of the young princesses, although Powley's accent veers towards the Sloane Ranger rather than the upper-class gell of the Forties. Everett's George VI bears more than a passing resemblance, both vocally and facially, to the current Prince Charles, while his spouse comes across as a snob with a perpetual desire to drown her sorrows in a gin and tonic.

Director Julian Jarrold makes some important points about the ways in which Princess Elizabeth (especially) learned a lot about her people as a result of this night. What a shame, therefore, that when she acceded to the throne, she should become so remote that she failed to understand Princess Diana's extraordinary popular appeal. But that judgment is made with the benefit of hindsight. As a lighthearted piece of entertainment, A ROYAL NIGHT OUT is definitely worth looking at.

They certainly didn't let the truth get in the way of telling a good story when they wrote this one and I imagine apart from the fact that the Princess' went outside of the Palace to join in the VE celebrations I think that's about where it ends.

In saying that the movie is light and fluffy and watchable and more a good rainy day movie to watch at home. I think my 70 year old mum would love this movie as would my 12 year old daughter as it is a cute and light movie; enjoyable to watch; sweet and romantic. I thought "P1 and P2" were great actors and made the movie for me and probably they are the main reason I would give this movie a 3/5 rather than a 2.

A watchable light movie with a fairytale storyline.

Not exactly of course, but then again this might not accurate on how things went down either. Depicting historical figures and a historical event (end of WWII, British crown and so forth) might not be something people are too interested to watch. But then if you like a feel good movie overall and a fish out of water story (loyalty mixing it up with common folk), then you might be right here.

Having said that, there is still some tough issues that want to be answered, but even when this gets darker, it never loses focus on the lightness that makes it work. So this isn't too critical or too dramatic, but it is entertaining, while being predictable in giving us the clichés we expect. Having said, costumes and settings are generally good and the acting is decent too

Princess Elisabeth and Princess Margert convince the King and Queen to let them celebrate VE day with a night out on the town among the people which turns out to be a crazy ride all over London, or at least that was the point.

But the ride couldn't get too crazy now could it. After all, this might be a fictional tale, but it's about the future Queen.

This movie tries too hard to keep the subject matter upscale. I never seen anything so uppity.

Don't get me wrong, A Royal Night Out definitely has it's charm and fun, but it all moved along to dull to convince me that they really had that good of a time on their night out.

Was not sure at first about seeing A Royal Night Out, despite having some talented people involved it did seem like it will have slightly tired concept too stretched out. Seeing it with Mum and Dad, this viewer is glad that she gave it a chance, for it is an enjoyable film once you accept that it does play loose with the truth and is almost like a 'what if?' (yes suspension of disbelief is needed here).

There is an awful lot good with A Royal Night Out. The period detail is not just evocative but it looks splendid too, the costumes are so beautifully tailored, the hair and make-up handsomely rendered and the sets and scenery so meticulous that it does feel like one is there in London just after World War II. The film is beautifully shot too. The soundtrack also captures the period brilliantly too, some great period favourites lovingly arranged and it's nicely scored too. On the most part, A Royal Night Out is very nicely scripted, with some poignant drama (like the king preparing and giving the speech) and great lightweight humour with the lion's share of the best lines coming from Margaret.

A Royal Night Out's story moves along at a good pace and is on the most part interesting and entertaining, there is great fun to be had in Margaret's oblivious association with criminals (again once you don't take things seriously and take it as meaning to be totally accurate) and throughout there is a quite believable (if occasionally a little too quaint in the middle act) sense of time and place. It is solidly directed, and very well played by a more than game cast, headed by the very charming and sensitive Sarah Gadon and the scene-stealing Bel Powley.

Jack Reynor is dashing and sympathetic, sharing a lovely rapport with Gadon, while Rupert Everett brings a touching vulnerability that is both surprising and delightful and Emily Watson is firm but compassionate as the Queen Mother. Roger Allam is also fun to spot, but sadly with little screen time.

For all its worthwhile things, A Royal Night Out's script occasionally feels a tad patronising and some of the humour a little awkward. The story does entertain for what it is, but by the last act it does start to feel rather stretched with the pacing getting a bit draggy and the storytelling on the thin side.

Overall, however, entertaining and nicely done film if taken for what it is. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This is not a documentary so don't expect it to be accurate or even the slightest bit true. It is based very loosely around Princess Elizabeth and Margaret going out into the crowds at Buckingham Palace on the night peace was declared (VE Day)....that's where the similarity stops. Rupert Everett as the King is such a bad choice, but again, it's not meant to be taken seriously. I liked the character portrayed as Princess Margaret and also the Queen Mother... they are likable and funny. The whole story is quite well written and very funny in places...as long as you don't take it too seriously and try to work out fact from fiction. All in all I thought it was very entertaining.....

It's VE 1945 in London. Princesses Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) and Margaret (Bel Powley) are eager to be out with the people. The King (Rupert Everett) is worried about his speech and reluctantly allows the girls to go out until 1am. To the girls' dismay, the Queen (Emily Watson) assigns them military chaperons and organizes a stuffy party. Margaret sneaks out and Elizabeth is desperate to find her with the help of bitter anti-establishment airman Jack Hodges (Jack Reynor) who is out AWOL.

This movie reminds me of 'Adventures in Babysitting' in both good and bad ways. It's a couple of clueless teens getting into trouble in the big city. It's light weight but mixed with some very dark situations. Margaret is cartoonishly idiotic. Elizabeth's cluelessness is a little more annoying and pompous. While Margaret is fake stupid, Elizabeth's posh attitude is too broad and feels unreal. The romance hits a few speed bumps but it gets to the right places. Sarah Gadon is charismatic but she's a little old to play the teenager future queen. This rom-com works well at times and less so at other times.

On VE Night 1945, the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose were allowed to leave Buckingham Palace, mingle incognito with the crowd to watch their parents accept acclaim from the balcony, then return to their cloistered world. That's it. Nothing more. But it happened.

Undoubtedly, that sure wouldn't make an interesting film. So A Royal Night Out concocts an entire fiction of the princesses slipping their chaperones from the stuffy ball they had been allowed to attend and escape into the celebrating crowds to find excitement amongst their subjects.

If you can allow yourself to believe that the army officers, charged personally by The King to look after the heir presumptive and her younger sister would abandon their duty to engage in carnal pursuits; if you can believe that the 14 year old Margaret Rose could end up in a knocking shop and lose consciousness after being given a Mickey Finn; if you can believe the coincidences allowing Princess Elizabeth to continually find her airman minder Jack amidst the throbbing thousands; if you can believe that both princesses went back to a working class house in Battersea to clean up and have a cup of tea before returning to the Palace, then you might just get some enjoyment from this lightweight piece of nonsense. If, on the other hand, you find it all too tiring and ridiculous, then it is a film to be given a wide berth.

The film's one redeeming feature was Jack Reynor as the RAF corporal, Jack, who most reluctantly finds himself looking after Princess Elizabeth. He has seen the horrors of the war and having been busted down for seeking compassionate leave after witnessing the slow death of a mate on return from a mission, sees no reason to celebrate; he has no time for the Royal Family and has no idea the young woman who has attached herself limpet-like to him is heir to a dynasty he does not support. Despite the paucity of good material, his screen presence and charisma shine through, and he gives a depth of character performance out of kilter with the rest of the film. He is a young actor to watch.

Oh, and a note to the film-makers. A Pink Gin consists of a slug of gin with just a dash of Angostura bitters giving it the slightest blush of pink. It is not a garishly opaque quarter pint drink looking like Barbara Cartland's face.

I'd been looking forward to A Royal Night Out's release since first seeing the trailer a few weeks ago. Now, after seeing the film, I'm happy to report that I wasn't disappointed. The action begins slowly, but once the royal sisters become enmeshed in London's VE night revelries I found myself being carried along by events in ways that were at times funny, at times exciting, at times emotionally moving - even at times with feelings of national pride - but always with interest and anticipation. One 'bonus' I hadn't expected was that the story would also feature elements of a very touching love story. This latter, for me, endowed the story with a certain 'fairy tale' quality. (But it is a film of fiction ... so, why not??) The three leads - Elisabeth, Margaret and Jack - are all excellent. Supporting actors and actresses of the cast provide additional variety and entertainment and play their parts with apparent enthusiasm. A lot of work obviously went into recreating the crowd, traffic and London scenes of 1945 and clothing styles seemed authentic to me. All in all a worthwhile undertaking painstakingly and lovingly realised. Go see this film. My bet is you'll be glad you did. Highly recommended. 8/10.

I understand that there is a market for cutesy, escapist films about the imaginary past. Most of us film lovers also appreciate that you adjust and accept the style of film as it begins, however:

Even accounting for these things, this is really awful. The story is so wonderful in and of itself there was a genuine opportunity here to make an earthy, human film about not only Royalty but also the exhilaration felt in London (where the film is set) by people of all backgrounds.

Instead of a moving and witty testament to a remarkable moment and two young princesses who were allowed to rub shoulders with the 'masses' for one night, we get a thoroughly cartoon-ish version of both Londoners and the Royal family. One dimensional characters abound here.

Lazy and a waste of talent and time.

That was really fun. So many good one-liners. Great characters. The princesses were perfectly cast. Some good Glenn Miller music.

My favourite bit was when someone asked Elizabeth to make a pot of tea 🤣🤣🤣. Her facial expression was priceless, she didn't know where to start.

Despite its historical inaccuracies and general fluffy feel, this straight-forward forties party piece plays it pretty close to the formula but is ultimately a quite fun, fast and free-flowingly light-hearted affair that keeps things above board but doesn't really dip under the surface of its real-life protagonist or her famous family, though it never really set out to. Ultimately, 'A Royal Night Out (2015)' seems kind of pointless but also kind of refreshing; it certainly portrays a unique perspective. The message seems to be that even the most 'Royal' are only human, too, and they just want to have fun like the rest of us. Then there's moments where the piece tries to stick a slight 'what-if' character-study type situation onto the surface - and only the surface - which feels very superficial, incredibly obvious and slightly inauthentic, considering the story itself is only loosely based around a rather mundane seeming event. In the end, though, it's a nice flick that's a feel-good experience throughout and, whether or not it's got anything substantial to say, that can only be good thing. 6/10

I borrowed the DVD of this movie from my public library and saw it yesterday evening. I did not have high expectations, I assumed it would be just another silly romantic comedy. However, it turned out better than expected, and I was able to watch and enjoy the whole thing to the end.

Obviously, this is a fairy tale, what actually happened is that the two princesses were allowed out in a group of 16 that left at 10 PM and returned at 1 AM, with none of the ridiculous and preposterous shenanigans of the movie.

But it is better than your average 'romantic comedy" which I usually borrow, watch for 5 minutes, and if it is unbearably lame, I put it back in the box and return it.

The plot is, of course, preposterous, and while Margaret was the wild one and her antics might be expected, Elizabeth's behavior was most unrealistic. Also very unrealistic and inaccurate were the choices of the young actresses playing the two princesses, esp. the one playing Elizabeth, who looked little like the actress playing her (eye color, build etc)

If the scriptwriter, director and esp the producer made some effort towards realism, I'd give it an 8. As is, a 7.

This period piece is about one magical night in the lives of Princesses Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) and Margaret (Bel Powley). It is a fantasy that really captures the imagination. The two royals surely must have been overly protected---from danger, from scandal, from their own teenage whims. But "A Royal Night Out" imagines an adventure on VE Day, when all of London was celebrating and the girls might have yearned to be common enough to join in.

The era is certainly captured by costumes, manners and scenery, allowing the viewer to indulge freely in the illusion. The two young women are delightful. And the general tone of the scenes carries the emotions along, feeling exactly like the overwhelming release that came with victory after years of sacrifice, fear, and stiff upper lips. The scene when the king appears at Buckingham Palace is stirring.

Recommended for history buffs, fans of period pieces and those who might find romance in a childish fantasy that--though it is only about one night--is also a coming of age story. I saw this film before its general release with no knowledge of its subject, and I was pleasantly surprised.

This film is really very funny, I don't know how else it could be described. It's not history and it's nowhere near accurate, but the jokes are delivered well and some are really laugh out loud funny. I would say take the plot with a pinch of salt and prepare your self for a fairy tale. Bel Powley is a hoot as P.No2, Sarah Gadon is the lovely P.No1 who finds a guardian angel in Jack Reynor. Rupert Everett made for a rather charming King George but I did wonder where Queen Elizabeth's (the Queen Mum) famous charm went. Emily Watson didn't really display much of it. All in all if you want to watch a really great staging of London celebrating VE Day 1945 and get some understanding of how stifling life in Buckingham Palace would have been for two very young girls. you could do a heck of a lot worse.

I had a pretty good guess what this would be like from the trailers but the full-length film delivers the awfulness in spades. Why any film director would even think, in their wildest dreams, that there was an entertainment to be made from the thinnest of true life facts is beyond me and that so much effort and money could be lobbed into a swirling vortex that pumps out this candy floss froth is truly astonishing. From the fake sets through the fake accents to the not very good lookey-likey of George VI (Rupert Everett spectacularly fails in what must have amounted to 1 days work) this film has already been dealt a death blow in my local cinema. On a Saturday night there were just a grand total of 10 people in attendance - and 2 of those walked out half-way through. Its a "Carry On Princess" - but without the laughs or the saving grace of double entendres.

16 May 2015 Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight - A Royal Night Out. On 8 May 1945 all of Britain was celebration Victory in Europe and behind the doors of Buckingham Palace two daughters were asking their parents if they might be allowed to join in. The two daughters were Princess Elizabeth, heir to the Throne and her sister Princess Margaret. This store is rumoured to be based partly on fact and I would very much like to have heard it was all true. With Rupert Everett starring as King George and Emily Watson playing his wife Queen Elizabeth this film is a rather jolly jape depicting what could have happened if the two princesses had been allowed out on the town for the whole night. Everett and Watson were uncanny as the King and Queen, and the girls bore more than a little resemblance to the Princesses ....although costume, deportment and hairstyle helped enormously. The plot was a little like I imagine that day to be, uproariously out of control but most joyful. My favourite line in the whole film was when Lilibet was asking Jack the airman to assist her to make the most of 'an opportunity to be ordinary on the most extraordinary day of her life'. I wonder if the Queen has seen this and if so, was she a little wistful.

Sarah Gadon is a pretty Princess Elizabeth and her accent and acting are good. Unfortunately Bel Powley is too plump and unattractive for Princess Margaret. The real Princess Margaret was actually slim and the prettier one when she was young. So casting wise this movie was 50% right and 50% wrong. Rupert Everett is unrecognizable is King George VI. Emily Watson is okay as the Queen but still comes across a bit unregal.

The story itself is a fascinating fantasy with Roman Holiday fun of princesses going incognito into VE Day celebrations in London. It's a bit darker with more sleaze and groping.

Worth a watch for the interesting story.