The Queen parents guide

The Queen Parent Guide

Overall A

Have you ever wondered what conversations took place in Buckingham Palace during the fateful week in August 1997 when the beloved Princess Diana was killed in a horrific car crash? Speculating on that question, screenwriter Peter Morgan adds his imagination to a mountain of research, and creates a compelling drama about the royal responsibilities of The Queen.

Release date October 26, 2006

Violence B
Sexual Content A
Profanity C
Substance Use A-

Why is The Queen rated PG-13? The MPAA rated The Queen PG-13 for brief strong language.

Parent Movie Review

If you’ve ever wondered what conversations took place in Buckingham Palace during the fateful August week in 1997 when the beloved Princess Diana was killed in a horrific car crash, Peter Morgan, screenwriter for The Queen, fills us in on what he thinks was said in the most intimate of circumstances.

Late one night, just a few months into Prime Minister Tony Blair’s (Michael Sheen) leadership, comes the shocking news of the Princess of Wales’ death. Awoken with the announcement, Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) quickly decides the situation has no bearing on the Royal Family because it is a private matter for the Spencer family.

Holding firm to that position and wanting to keep the spotlights away from Diana and Charles’s (Alex Jennings) children, Elizabeth and Prince Philip (James Cromwell) opt to stay in the countryside at the family’s Balmoral Estate. There, grandpa keeps the young ones busy chasing a deer through the meadows while QE II and The Queen Mother (Sylvia Syms) spend their days watching newscasts and speculating on the situation.

However, back in “reality,” a very different situation is developing. The British people are reeling from the tragedy and creating a monument of flowers in front of Buckingham Palace. Rising with the pile of memorials is the public’s desire to have the Royals respond to the tragedy in a way that will allow all Britons an opportunity to grieve a loss that has left many personally affected.

Walking the fine line between honoring the wishes of his head of state and the voters of his nation, Tony Blair finds himself in a most unusual situation. Carefully, he suggests to the Queen what he feels she must do if she is to maintain public support for the Royal Family. His counsel includes returning to London and participating in what will be one of the most public funerals in all of history. Meanwhile, both his advisers and his wife (Helen McCrory) do not support the Monarchy and feel Blair’s innate desire to assist Buckingham is unnecessary.

Other than the possibility of teens and children balking at an apparently dry premise, the film presents only minimal content concerns from a parent’s perspective. These include a very quick and single use of the sexual expletive and a handful of other mild profanities. As well, some discussion of Diana and Charles’s adulterous relationships are heard, and a dead deer with its head removed is depicted.

Yet this intelligent movie, which is (quoting the press information) “drawn from extensive interviews, devoted research and informed imagination” will undoubtedly spark debate on the well-tread topic of whether the Royal Family is still a valid and necessary entity in today’s political arena. Refreshingly even handed and never lowering to gratuitous extremes, The Queen offers a very compelling drama that will leave audiences with something to talk about afterward—and even young viewers may be surprised at just how intriguing this story is.

Starring Helen Mirren. Theatrical release October 26, 2006. Updated

The Queen
Rating & Content Info

Why is The Queen rated PG-13? The Queen is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for brief strong language.

One quick and somewhat difficult to understand use of a sexual expletive is the greatest content concern in this film. A few other mild expletives and one use of a scatological term are heard. Sexual impropriety is vaguely discussed. Violence is limited to a scene depicting a dead deer with its head removed. One person is shown with what appears to be an alcoholic drink.

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The Queen Parents' Guide

What are the advantages or disadvantages of monarchial rule? Do you think people still value the British Monarchy today? Is it right for taxpayers to support the Royal Family?

When does the media step across the line of privacy when reporting on the lives of public figures? Does the public have any right to see or know about the private lives of The Royal family or other celebrities?

Home Video

The most recent home video release of The Queen movie is April 23, 2007. Here are some details…

DVD release Date: 24 April 2007

Enjoy the royal treatment with the DVD release of The Queen. Luxurious commentaries are offered by director Stephen Frears and writer Peter Morgan, as well as by Robert Lacey (British historian, expert on royalty and author of Majesty). Fans can also indulge their fancy with a making-of featurette. Audio tracks are available in English (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), with subtitles in English and Spanish.

Related home video titles:

Many fictitious stories have been created from the idea of living in the public spotlight. In The Princes Diaries, an average American teenager discovers she descends from royalty and is asked to decide if she is willing to wear the crown. In the sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, the young princess must endure a very public courtship in order to fulfill the obligation of finding a new crowned prince. Tired of being in the royal fishbowl, a young princess (played by Audrey Hepburn) swims free of her publicity managers and takes a Roman Holiday. The film Paparazzi takes a look at the darker side of being hunted by celebrity hounds.

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