Review

Movie Review: A Not So Royal Christmas
Subtitle: "When Royalty, Holiday Chaos, and Way Too Many Prince Charming Moments Collide in the Most Hilariously Predictable Way."

“A Not So Royal Christmas” is Hallmark’s latest holiday offering that proves even royalty can have a totally un-royal Christmas meltdown. If you’ve ever wondered, “What if a down-to-earth woman who does not believe in Christmas miracles finds herself unexpectedly falling in love with a prince who’s clearly hiding a huge family secret... all while juggling way too many Christmas lights?”—then this movie will deliver all that, plus a ton of holiday chaos and way too much festive magic to handle.

The plot follows Holly (played by Kaitlyn Leeb), a charming, real-world woman who, after a very festive holiday mishap, finds herself caught up in the messy, glitter-filled chaos that is the Christmas season. Holly is very, very sure she’s done with the holidays—until her old college friend, Prince Nicholas (played by Micheal Xavier), shows up and throws her life into disarray. You see, Nick is actually a royal prince (yes, really), and he’s definitely not there to just “help decorate the tree”. He’s in town to convince Holly to help him “blend in” with his royal family... by pretending they’re just regular people, which, of course, leads to way too many awkward moments that will have you laughing in disbelief.

The humor in this movie comes from watching Holly try to hold it together while her regular, totally non-royal life collides with Nick’s way-too-perfect royal world. Holly’s not only stuck pretending to be a royal expert—she’s now facing the chaos of holiday traditions that she didn’t even know existed. From too many Christmas cookies (because why not?), to way too many family members who are way too involved in their royal Christmas pageant, Holly is trying to survive it all while also definitely falling for Nick. Every time Holly tries to pretend she’s totally fine with all of this, something goes wrong—whether it’s decorating an over-the-top royal tree or accidentally embarrassing herself in front of the royal family. And the fact that she’s totally not into Nick at first? Just wait for the inevitable romantic realization, because you know it’s coming, and it’s going to be as predictable as a Christmas snowstorm.

As for the romance? Oh, it’s so Hallmark. Nick and Holly have the classic “we’re definitely not falling in love” routine—because how could a totally normal woman fall for a prince who’s so perfect, yet so secretive about his royal life? Their awkward banter, accidental touches, and way-too-romantic Christmas moments will have you cringing and cheering at the same time. Every time they share a “we’re just friends” moment, you can practically hear the Jingle Bells playing in the background, because it’s inevitable. There’s way too much romantic tension, and it’s just too adorable to resist. You’ll be laughing at how obvious their feelings are, but at the same time, totally rooting for them to finally admit that, yes, they’re absolutely falling in love.

And let’s talk about the royal family, because this is a Hallmark movie and the family has to be ridiculously involved in every holiday tradition. The royal relatives are so over-the-top, you’ll wonder if they’re trying to turn Christmas into a competitive sport. From way too many royal Christmas events to the family members who insist on planning everything (like the world’s most dramatic Christmas parade), there’s no way Holly or Nick can escape the extremely festive pressure. Watching Holly try to navigate royal protocol while also just trying to survive the holidays is like watching a snowball fight between two people who definitely don’t know what they’re doing—but somehow, it works.

The grand finale? Predictable, yet heartwarming. After way too many royal mishaps, family secrets, and a perfectly timed Christmas kiss, Holly and Nick finally realize that love isn’t about perfect royal traditions or holiday perfection—it’s about accepting each other for who they are. After one too many romantic misunderstandings and way too many holiday parties, they end up perfectly in love, surrounded by a ridiculously perfect royal family and way too many Christmas decorations.

“A Not So Royal Christmas” is exactly what you’d expect from a Hallmark movie: way too much holiday magic, a romance that’s as predictable as snow, and a small-town Christmas backdrop that somehow turns into the royal event of the century. If you love way too many festive traditions, royal family drama, and a romance that’s inevitably charming, then grab your coziest blanket, a plate of cookies, and get ready for a Christmas movie so heartwarming you’ll want to redecorate your entire house in royal Christmas decor. 👑🎄💋