Review

"Royally Ever After: A Crown Jewel of Predictability, with Extra Cheese"

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if a Hallmark movie and a Disney fairy tale had a baby, Royally Ever After (2018) is here to answer that question with all the subtlety of a royal trumpet fanfare. This film is the cinematic equivalent of a warm, slightly stale croissant—comforting, familiar, and just a little too sweet for its own good.

The plot is as predictable as the sunrise in a Hallmark holiday movie: a down-to-earth American journalist (played by Fiona Gubelmann) jets off to a fictional European kingdom to cover a royal wedding, only to accidentally fall for the dashing prince (played by Juan Pablo Di Pace). Spoiler alert: there’s a ball, a misunderstanding, and a last-minute dash to declare love. If you’ve seen one Hallmark movie, you’ve seen them all—but hey, who doesn’t love a good formula?

The chemistry between the leads is charming, though it occasionally feels like they’re acting in two different movies. Fiona is giving us “quirky rom-com heroine,” while Juan Pablo is serving “brooding telenovela heartthrob.” Together, they make it work, but only because the script insists they must. The supporting cast, including a sassy best friend and a disapproving royal advisor, are clearly having the time of their lives, which makes up for the fact that their characters are about as deep as a puddle in a Hallmark holiday movie.

The cinematography is lush, with sweeping shots of castles, cobblestone streets, and fields of flowers that look like they were stolen straight from a postcard. The costumes are equally delightful, though the prince’s outfits seem to suggest he’s auditioning for a role in The Crown rather than a lighthearted rom-com.

In the end, Royally Ever After is exactly what you’d expect: a frothy, feel-good fairy tale that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It’s the kind of movie you watch with a mug of hot cocoa, a cozy blanket, and zero expectations. If you’re a fan of Hallmark movies, this one will feel like coming home—albeit to a home where everyone speaks in perfect British accents and no one ever has to worry about rent.

Final verdict: 3 out of 5 tiaras. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s royally entertaining.