A Guide to (and Unofficial Ranking of) Hallmark’s Royal Movies: Best and Worst Film Tropes

Hallmark Channel movies transport viewers into a different world, and the network’s royal-themed films bring a whole different level of fantasy.

While fans expect to suspend reality, when it comes to Hallmark’s royal rom-coms — there are almost too many tropes to count. The main culprit? Boy meets girl — and girl is blindsided by the revelation that her partner is royalty.

Take A Royal Queens Christmas, which focuses on Dee Dee (Megan Park), who unbeknownst to her, meets Prince Colin (Julian Morris) while delivering sweets for her cousin. Colin’s off-the-grid country of origin makes it possible for Dee Dee to fall for the prince before knowing his true identity, a trope that is in almost all the royal Hallmark productions.

Another cliché, which is Us-approved, is the story of an American who is hired by the royal family to help the king — or his child —and ends up finding her own happily ever after.

A Royal Runaway Romance, meanwhile, flips the script a little bit with the princess being the hopeless romantic and her suitor a seemingly normal American bodyguard. The 2022 film leans into the trope of boy falling for girl while trapped in a car for days only to learn when their road trip comes to an end they are each other’s perfect match.

Although Hallmark does stick to a formula of sorts — the queen always hates the foreigner, but eventually comes around when her son threatens to give up the throne — each royal movie does give the viewer a mini fairy tale that is wrapped until in two hours or less.

Cliché or not, riding in a one-horse open sleigh with a man who turns out to be next in line for the throne of a small country is a trope Hallmark fans want to see. And, lucky for viewers, it doesn’t appear that the network is stopping their rinse and repeat style anytime soon.

Scroll down for Us’ unofficial ranking of the Hallmark Channel’s royal catalog — and see which tropes stand out in each rom-com, good and bad:

21. Royal Hearts (2018)

Rancher Hank (James Brolin) receives news that he’s inherited an estate abroad, so he brings his daughter, Kelly (Cindy Busby), along for the ride. When they arrive, the father-daughter duo learn Hank has also inherited a whole kingdom … complete with sheep, vast land and a castle.

Most Frustrating Trope: Inheriting a kingdom seems like a dream come true, but why does the main character, Kelly, have to give up her life to land her prince charming, Alex (Andrew Cooper), who is surprisingly a commoner?

20. A Winter Princess (2019)

Princess Carly (Natalie Hall) teams up with Jesse (Chris McNally) to plan a ski resort’s 50th-anniversary bash while they both work at the lodge. Unbeknownst to Jesse, Carly is royalty and doesn’t actually live in the area.

Hallmark Trope We Can’t Stand: Although Carly is falling for Jesse, Prince Emile (Brendon Zub) flies in to break up the party and cause a brief rift between the new couple even though it’s clear he and Carly have no future of their own.

19. A Royal Winter (2017)

Maggie’s (Merritt Patterson) last-minute getaway to Europe ends with her meeting a prince, Adrian (Jack Donnelly), who just so happens to be crazy about her from their first meeting. Adrian’s mother, however, is wary of her son getting involved with a tourist.

Hallmark’s Most Unrealistic Trope: The idea that Maggie can just drop everything and become a princess after a chance encounter on vacation is a little far-fetched, despite the fantasy allure.

18. Fit for a Prince (2021)

Prince Ronan (Jonathan Keltz) is smitten with fashion designer Cindy (Natalie Hall) upon their initial meeting. As she works on his suit ahead of the royal ball, the twosome’s bond gets stronger and stronger.

Hallmark’s Cheesiest Trope: Cindy can’t help but twirl around in excitement — and try on multiple gowns — while entertaining the idea that she could one day become a princess.

17. A Princess for Christmas (2011)

Shortly after being named the guardian of her niece and nephew, Jules (Katie McGrath) receives a curious invite from an estranged relative to spend the holidays in Europe. Upon arrival, Jules discovers that her late-brother-in-law was royal and his brother, Ashton Prince of Castlebury (Sam Heughan), and father Edward Duke of Castlebury (Roger Moore) are interested in finally becoming a part of the kids’ lives.

Hallmark’s Most Unrealistic Trope: The long-lost royal relative is a bit overplayed — but in this case, the addition of becoming a guardian to two children makes it that much more problematic.

16. The Royal Nanny (2022)

MI5 agent Claire (Rachel Skarsten) gets more than she bargained for when she goes undercover as the royal nanny to keep Princess Rose (Katie Sheridan) and her children safe during the holidays. While trying to win over the kids, Claire learns that getting their uncle Prince Colin’s (Dan Jeannotte) approval could make her life easier … and more fun.

Hallmark LOL-Worthy Trope: Falling in love with someone over a shared passion — in this case, pranks — is all well and good, but Claire winning over Colin by filling a car full of ornaments may be a little over the top.

15. A Royal Corgi Christmas (2022)

The one where American dog trainer Cecily (Hunter King) is hired to make Prince Edmond (Jordan Renzo) look good by taming his newest corgi for the annual Christmas ball. While Edmond buys the pup as a gift for his mom, Cecily insists he learns to train the dog and the two form a connection along the way.

Hallmark’s Wildest Trope: While Hallmark is a master at making unrealistic stories seem somewhat possible, this meet-cute takes the cake. Although many royal movies feature an American being hired by nobility for a task, Cecily’s job as a dog trainer landing her a prince is a stretch.

14. Royal New Year's Eve (2017)

Aspiring designer Caitlyn (Jessy Schram) gets her life upended when Lady Isabelle (Hayley Sales) hires her to create a dress for the royal New Year’s Eve ball in hopes her boyfriend, Prince Jeffrey (Sam Page), will propose. In addition to navigating her boss’ attempt to sabotage the job, Caitlyn grows close with Jeffrey and realizes her dream of designing might not be the only thing she wants in life.

Hallmark’s Classic Trope: As in many royal rom-coms, Caitlyn and Jeffrey’s fate is left up in the air until the very end when they lock eyes at a royal event. Luckily for Caitlyn, her self-designed gown makes her the belle of the ball.

13. One Royal Holiday (2020)

Anna (Laura Osnes) opens her home to a mother and her son after they are stranded during a blizzard. What she doesn’t know is that they are members of the Galwick royal family — and luckily for her, Prince James (Aaron Tveit) is single and only has eyes for Anna.

Hallmark’s Most Unrealistic Trope: Despite being snowed in, Anna and James are able to take a romantic sleigh ride during his stay, further cementing their budding romance.

12. Once Upon a Holiday (2015)

In a royal role reversal, Princess Katie (Briana Evigan) slips away from her entourage while in New York City and crosses paths with a good Samaritan named Jack Langdon (Paul Campbell). Once Jack stops Katie from getting mugged, the twosome spark a romance of their own — but Katie’s mom is not on board with her pretending to be someone she’s not.

Hallmark’s Us-Approved Trope: When a man successfully retrieves a woman’s stolen property, especially in NYC, it’s only reasonable they fall madly in love. Case and point: Jack getting Katie’s camera back without any issues.

11. A Royal Runaway Romance (2022)

After sparking a romance with the artist who painted her portrait, Princess Amelia of Bundbury (Philippa Northeast) vows to reconnect with the painter, Wes (Andre Anthony), in Chicago. Much to her dismay, her visit to the U.S. lands her in California without any way of getting across the country. When her uncle’s bodyguard Grady (Brant Daughtery) agrees to drive her, they quickly realize that they are destined to be more than just travel buddies.

Hallmark’s Us-Approved Trope: Long-distance drives make for the perfect road map to everlasting love … or so Hallmark tells Us.

10. A Christmas Carousel (2020)

Lila (Rachel Boston) finds herself falling for Prince Whitaker (Neal Bledsoe) after being hired by the royal family of Ancadia to restore a historic carousel as a surprise gift for his niece. Their love of art could be just what Lila needs to overlook the prince’s intimidating title and duties to the crown.

Hallmark’s Us-Approved Trope: Like many princes before him, Whitaker has a hidden passion that he lets come to the forefront with the help of his new love interest. With Lila in his corner, the prince successfully makes the duke see just how important his love of art is to both him and the rest of their kingdom.

9. Once Upon a Prince (2018)

While visiting the U.S., Prince Nate (Jonathan Keltz) falls for Susanna (Megan Park) after they cross paths near her parents’ garden store in Georgia. When their romance makes the papers, Nate must reveal his true identity and try to convince his mother that Susanna is his perfect match … even though she isn’t from Cambria and is therefore not legally allowed to marry him.

Hallmark’s Us-Approved Trope: Susanna and Nate’s meet-cute is so cliché — the prince helps his damsel in distress on the side of the road after her car breaks down — but the chemistry they have is too hard to overlook.

8. Christmas at the Palace (2018)

When former professional ice skater Katie (Merritt Patterson) is hired to teach King Alexander’s (Andrew Cooper) daughter, Princess Christina (India Fowler), for a Christmas performance, she slowly builds a relationship with the king himself. Despite finding happiness with Katie, Alexander isn’t sure his subjects will approve of him marrying a foreigner.

Hallmark’s Classic Trope: Decorating both cookies and Christmas trees is a sure way to strengthen a budding romance — at least when it comes to Hallmark holiday movies that involve a single parent.

7. My Summer Prince (2016)

As aspiring PR executive Mandy Cooper (Taylor Cole) attempts to repair Prince Colin’s (Jack Turner) image, she becomes his most recent admirer. In addition to possibly losing her job amid the flirtation, Mandy soon learns that Colin is off the market … or is he?

Hallmark’s Frustrating Trope: Prince Colin isn’t perfect but depicting him as a playboy — and jailbird for dancing in a fountain — just because he’s afraid to fill his father’s shoes as king isn’t cool.

6. Royally Ever After (2018)

Schoolteacher Sara (Fiona Gubelmann) doesn’t believe her new fiancé, Danny (Torrance Coombs), when he reveals he’s really the prince of St. Ives. When she does start to accept his story, she is blindsided by the fact without the king and queen’s blessing the two cannot marry.

Hallmark LOL-Worthy Trope: During her training, Sara quickly learns that the stereotype that Americans are warmer than royals is correct. She is told not to hug and hilariously stumbles while learning how to exit a car and ride a horse correctly.

5. Christmas at Castle Hart (2021)

The one where Brooke Bennett (Lacey Chabert) meets Aiden Hart, Earl of Glaslough (Stuart Townsend), while in Ireland on an adventure to learn more about her Irish roots. While in town with her sister, Brooke winds up planning the castle’s Christmas party after accidentally being mistaken for a well-known event planner.

Hallmark’s Classic Trope: In a role reversal, the American finds herself pretending to be someone she’s not in order to get a better job and land herself a royal partner. While Hallmark is known to have princes and princesses pretend to be a commoner, this film twists that trope so Brooke is the one keeping a secret.

4. Crown for Christmas (2015)

Allie (Danica McKellar) accepts a job as a temporary governess to Princess Theodora (Ellie Botterill) after getting fired as a maid in New York City. Despite Theodora’s icy reception toward Allie, the two eventually bond and sparks later fly between the governess and King Maximillian (Rupert Penry-Jones). Unfortunately, the king’s possible romance with Countess Celia (Alexandra Evans) could ruin everyone’s happily ever after.

Hallmark’s Cheesiest Trope: Allie and Max's eyes lock while they’re facing off in a good old-fashioned snowball fight … and instantly become smitten with one another.

3. A Royal Queens Christmas (2021)

Prince Colin (Julian Morris) accidentally finds love with a Queens, New York, native named Dee Dee Paretti (Megan Park) after he physically runs into her and knocks over her dessert box. To make amends, he agrees to play the piano during the local Christmas children’s show rehearsals until Dee Dee learns his true identity.

Hallmark’s LOL-Worthy Trope: Amid their budding romance, Colin dresses up as Santa and Dee Dee as an elf for their first almost-kiss moment. The dress-up scene is not unfamiliar to Hallmark viewers, but as it often does, things quickly take a negative turn after the light-hearted role-play.

2. Royal Matchmaker (2018)

Matchmaker Kate Gleason (Bethany Joy Lenz) is hired to find Prince Sebastian of Volavia (Will Kemp) a suitable wife — even if he is opposed to the idea to start. As her job continues, Kate is surprised to find herself growing close to the prince and wishing she was his perfect match.

Hallmark’s Us-Approved Trope: Kate landing the prince she was hired to set up is too cute not to ship. Plus, Hallmark can’t help but match American employees with their royal bosses whenever possible.

1. A Royal Christmas (2014)

Seamstress Emily Taylor (Lacey Chabert) is surprised to learn her boyfriend, Leo (Stephen Hagan), is actually Prince Leopold of Cordinia. While Leo is confident Emily will fit in as a royal, his mother, Queen Isadora (Jane Seymour), is less than thrilled at the prospect of an American as her daughter-in-law. Will their opposite upbringings be the couple’s undoing, or will Emily win over the queen with her fashion skills and American charm?

Hallmark’s Most Obvious Trope: Leo hiding his identity with girlfriend Emily is an age-old story line for the network — and is the biggest part of this film. The Hallmark trope of an American uprooting her life for a royal and failing to win over her future in-laws is a close second.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, US Weekly.