17 Shows to Watch If You Love The Crown

Hunky lords. Colorful costumes. Steamy romance. Bridgerton checks all the boxes for a bingeable series. Based on Julia Quinn’s book series, this twist on the period drama forsakes staunch historical accuracy for a modern take on London’s Regency era as it follows different families during social season. The first two seasons are ready to stream on Netflix, and season 3 is in the works.

Outlander gives you more of the dreamy Scottish scenery you get glimpses of throughout The Crown…but with more kilts, time travel, and sex scenes. The STARZ series follows Claire (Caitríona Balfe), a 20th-century English nurse who unwittingly finds herself transported to 1743 Scotland. She must make a choice: try to find her way back to 1945 (and her husband, The Crown’s Tobias Menzies), or stay in the 18th century with Jamie the Highlander (Sam Heughan).

Watch Now

The universally-acclaimed Downton Abbey follows the aristocratic Crawley family in 20th century England. The series was awarded a Guinness World Record for “highest critical review ratings for a TV show” after its season 1 premiere and won a whopping 15 Emmys thanks to its strong ensemble, costumes, and smart writing over its six-season run.

Watch Now

Before Claire Foy portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, she was Anne Boleyn in the BBC’s Wolf Hall. This Emmy-nominated miniseries takes place during Henry VIII’s rule and stars Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis.

Watch Now

Some have scrutinized The Crown for taking creative liberties with historical events, but The Great embraces being an “anti-historical” satirical account of Russia’s longest-reigning empress Catherine the Great. Elle Fanning is Catherine, a European princess who marries the bumbling Peter III of Russia (a brilliant Nicholas Hoult). As her attempts at happiness falter, she quickly realizes … Peter’s got to go. The Great is often awkward, sometimes vulgar, but always clever.

This four-episode miniseries is a more serious recount of Catherine the Great’s life. It begins long after the events of The Great, with Catherine (Helen Mirren) on the Russian throne.

Watch Now

Even more outrageous than The Great is The Windsors, a Channel 4 sitcom that parodies the modern-day royal family. Think of it as The Crown meets Arrested Development—the characters are over the top, out of touch, and not very bright. And while they’re completely unlikable, the show itself, however, is quite enjoyable.

Watch Now

For something a little more fantastical (and a lot more bloody), House of the Dragon follows a years-long succession fight for the Iron Throne. This Game of Thrones prequel takes place generations before Jon Snow joins the Night’s Watch and Daenerys Targaryen marries Khal Drogo, and it stars Matt Smith (Prince Philip in The Crown’s first two seasons), Emma D’Arcy, Paddy Considine, and Olivia Cooke.

Watch Now

The Tudors is another Henry VIII tale featuring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Henry Cavill, and Natalie Dormer. It’s dramatic, sexy, and a feast for the eyes—the series won Emmys for art direction, costume design, and cinematography over its four-season run.

Watch Now

The incomparable Anya Taylor-Joy is Beth Harmon, an orphan who finds a deep love and unmatched talent for chess. While The Queen’s Gambit is a completely fictional story and doesn’t involve any characters of royal lineage, the miniseries is just as beautifully shot as The Crown and filmed in gorgeous 1950s and ’60s sets.

Watch Now

This CW 16th-century historical drama follows Mary, Queen of Scots (Adelaide Kane), as she navigates the French court. Reign isn’t that concerned with sticking to history, so don’t take the plot as truth; but the four-season show is a great way to get your fix of drama and romance.

Watch Now

Anne Lister was a real-life English landowner, diarist, and “first modern lesbian.” In Gentleman Jack, Suranne Jones plays Lister as she begins a romantic relationship with a woman in the 1800s.

Watch Now

Queen Elizabeth II had many similarities to her great-great grandmother Queen Victoria, including ascending the throne at remarkably young ages—Elizabeth at 25, Victoria at 18. And that’s when this Emmy-nominated series begins: with young Victoria (Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman) beginning her rule. Over the show’s three seasons, Victoria meets and marries Prince Albert, starts a family, and finds her footing as a monarch.

Watch Now

Hailee Steinfeld stars as a young Emily Dickinson in this coming-of-age story. She doesn’t quite fit into her 19th-century Massachussetts community, she resists her family’s attempts at finding her a suitor, and she’s in love with Sue Gilbert (Ella Hunt)—her best friend and her brother’s fiancé.

Watch Now

The Royals is a modern-day story of a fictitious—and messy—British royal family starring Joan Collins, Alexandra Park, and William Moseley (whom you might recognize from the Chronicles of Narnia films). The soap was E!’s first scripted series and follows Prince William (Moseley) as he learns to navigate his newfound responsibilities as heir after the death of his older brother. And because the show is from One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn, you can expect a lot of parties, makeouts, and drama.

Watch Now

Based on the Philippa Gregory novel, The White Queen takes place during the 15th-century Wars of the Roses. The 10-episode miniseries tells the tale of three cousins: Elizabeth (Rebecca Ferguson), Margaret (Amanda Hale), and Anne (Faye Marsay) as they try to manipulate their way into power.

Watch Now

Another miniseries based on works by novelist Philippa Gregory, The Spanish Queen takes place nearly 50 years after The White Queen. It begins with teenager Catherine of Aragon (Charlotte Hope) traveling from Spain to England to meet her betrothed, Prince Arthur. But when Arthur dies just months after their wedding, Catherine must learn to navigate her place in England’s court—and turns her eyes to Albert’s brother, Henry VIII.

Watch Now