Reign starring Adelaide Kane, Toby Regbo, Megan Follows, and Torrance Coombs was one of the best royal historical dramas to be made when it aired on The CW for four seasons. The show is currently streaming on Prime Video.
The story did take some turns I didn't always agree with, but that doesn't take away the fact that it's such a great watch! If you miss the series, here's 4 regal historical drama shows like Reign to stream right now.
The White Princess
Stream on Starz
One thing that really stands out about Mary in Reign is the fact that she had to make some difficult decisions at times as the ruler that she is and to protect that power she holds. One of my favorite parts of the show is also the fact that it's female-focused, with Mary at the center of the story. Elizabeth of York in The White Princess on Starz goes through the same struggles and has to make many difficult decisions, even at the expense of her own family to protect her children and their line.
The White Princess has one season and is part of a franchise that also includes The White Queen and The Spanish Princess. But this one is definitely my favorite of the three and the closest to Reign. There's also that element of Elizabeth having a strong-willed and tough mother-in-law, just like Catherine.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Stream on Netflix
Mary and Francis' love story was not an easy road, and unfortunately she loses him to death just like it was prophecized. And yes, there was some drama along the way with his brother Bash. But at the end of the day, Mary and Francis were true soulmates, as we saw the two reunited in death at the end of the series. And we loved their love.
If you want a bittersweet love story, then Bridgerton prequel series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story fits that bill well. King George suffers from a mental illness from a young age. But he and Charlotte's love is true, even if he forgets who Charlotte is at times. Just like Mary losing Francis to death at a young age, Charlotte also loses her beloved George in a way in their younger years as a married couple. But the strength of that love lasts for decades. The show has one season.
The Tudors
Stream all 4 seasons on Prime Video
Speaking of the Tudor family, while The White Princess focuses on Elizabeth of York and King Henry VII, The Tudors television series is centered around their son Henry VIII who infamously married six times. This show is iconic for a reason. And while it's the king at the forefront of the story instead of the queens, it's a great historical drama for those of us who like the genre. There's twists and turns you don't see coming even though it is based on real people and events, and has plenty of political intrigue which is always exciting. All three of these elements are also in Reign and part of what makes the show so great.
The Crown
Stream all 6 seasons on Netflix
A bit more of a modern one compared to the others on this list is The Crown on Netflix. We're back to focusing on a female lead and ruler, Queen Elizabeth II. In the show, she's seen making many personal sacrifices in her marriage, which affects the way her kids are raised, and even sacrifices when it comes to herself for the good of the country.
She also struggles to maintain power at times with the people who don't want a monarchy in charge anymore, the way Mary ends up struggling with her cousin. It's a very interesting look at a historical drama because while many storylines were elevated or even fictionalized to fit the story at times, there's much more recent accounts to draw on. And in some ways, this series is a bit more effective to a viewer because these are still relatively recent events.