‘A Christmas Prince’ On Netflix: Throw Christmas Decorations On ‘The Princess Diaries’ And You’ve Got This Reliable Romance

If there is a checklist of all the things a romantic Christmas movie should be, A Christmas Prince has got each and every one of those items covered. Now streaming on Netflix, it’s everything you want a holiday film to be: cheesy, hopeful, a little bit ridiculous, and overall as warm and toasty as the fireplace you’re watching it next to.

A Christmas Prince stars Rose McIver as Amber, an aspiring journalist that just can’t seem to catch her reporting big break. That is, until her boss hands her the assignment of all assignments, mostly because everyone else in the office is on vacation. Tasked with getting to the bottom of the womanizing handsome prince Richard (Ben Lamb) of “Aldovia” who has only days left to decide if he will abdicate the throne his late father left to his responsibility, Amber heads over to this magical land which shares the same accent as posh Brits. She is mistaken for being the tutor of Richard’s younger sister Emily (Honor Kneafsey) and naturally goes along with it. This is her key to the kingdom!

From there, she integrates into the daily lives of the royal family, becoming close with Emily who turns out to be a really sweet child. Plus, this movie gets bonus points for having the character be disabled despite all her wealth and privilege – it’s a nod to a community we see all too rarely in frivolous films such as these, and it’s a good look here. Amber and Richard somehow start to fall in “love” and yes, there is a wild horse involved with one of their first intense, encounters alone.

While A Christmas Prince might share more in common with the 2004 Julia Stiles film, The Prince and Me, as a normie is pursued by royalty, it also borrows themes from The Princess Diaries. Richard’s hesitation at accepting the throne, Amber’s adjustment into this rich new world, and her refusal to ditch her Converse sneakers at even the fanciest of events. Nothing about A Christmas Prince is going to feel unfamiliar or unpredictable to you, but that’s what’s so great about it (oh, except for a brief cameo from a wolf. You’ll see.). In fact, one of the biggest surprises here is how efficient the acting is from nearly all parties involved. That includes our very own Amber, whose hair manages to still look cute during a snowball fight, and Richard who “accidentally” topples on her in the snow, in one of the romance film genre’s surest ways of letting you know the sexual tension is brewing.

The two “fall” for each other by swapping sad dead parent stories, navigating the bitchiness from a jealous, rival couple, and allowing their faces to linger just centimeters apart, long enough for the music to swell but not quite long enough for their lips to meet. They also get to exchange those serious faces when they lay eyes on each other after they’ve each been dressed to the nines, and of course our third act is filled with secrets, betrayal, tears, and plenty of forlorn looks.

The story just happens to take place around Christmas time, and except for a key prop and a few pretty decorations, it’s really not tied to the holiday in any truly significant way. But we’ll let you crawl under your favorite cozy blanket, preferably with a nice glass of wine, and see for yourself where you already know this movie is going. It’s a dreamy comfort watch in the purest sense, but sometimes this holiday season, it’s just the right escape.

Watch A Christmas Prince on Netflix