Photo by IndieWire
There is something morbidly fascinating about the Royal Family. Love them or hate them, you cannot deny that they’re interesting. And with the arrival of the new royal baby, hype surrounding the monarchy is at an all time high. Because of this, and the fact that it coincides with the 70th anniversary of VE day, ‘A Royal Night Out’ could not have come at a better time, it coincides with the 70th anniversary of VE day. The film, inspired by true events, follows a young Princess Elizabeth and Margaret as they leave Buckingham Palace to enjoy the celebrations among the crowd.
We see the two Princesses cavort naively through jubilant crowds, waving British flags patriotically as we are shown an insight into 1945 Britain. The two young royals manage to wriggle free from their chaperones, and in the process, Margaret (played by Bel Powley) also slips away from her more serious sister and a game of cat and mouse ensues. The rest of the film follows Elizabeth (Sarah Gadon) as she tries to find Margaret across London. She soon crosses path with a working class airman named Jack, who shows her a different side to London. This predictable blurring of the social classes falls short in this film as it tries to steer into the realm of a romantic comedy without fully committing to the idea of the Queen-to-be having a fling with an airman. However, the relationship provides some heart-warming moments as Princess Elizabeth explores a different side to herself, while discovering a grittier side to London. Princess Margaret, on the other hand, provides some comic relief as she stumbles from the Ritz to a Soho knocking shop, and the subtle humour propels this film forward.
This film is exactly what it says on the tin, it’s a frothy film about the antics of two young royals. While it does not delve much beneath the surface, it’s a fun distraction from real life. Take a step into a world when two young princesses could blend in with the crowd as ordinary girls on one of the biggest nights of the century.
