Ambitious reporter Katie (Brittany Underwood) is determined to get her big break and she sees an opportunity when the top presenter (Meredith Thomas) at her station goes on holiday over Christmas. Convincing producer Jerrod (William Baldwin) to give her a shot, Katie tracks down European Prince Jonathan (Jonathan Stoddard) and convinces him to sit down with her for an exclusive interview. Wary of trusting a reporter, Jerrod tries to turn Katie down but her tenacity eventually results in him agreeing meaning that Katie could get that big break she’s so desperately been working towards.
The last of the holiday movies for 2023 to come from Great American Family, ‘A Royal Christmas Holiday’ returns to the commoner falls in love with royalty storyline that has become a staple of the genre. In this story peppy Katie dreams of fronting her own show and she’s more than up for the challenge when she finds out she could land an exclusive interview with Prince Jonathan. Using her journalistic skills, she tracks him down at an airport and continues to chase him around town until he relents and agrees to give her an interview.
Accompanied by his aide Louis (Louis Chapman), Jonathan tries to tread carefully aware that journalists are often looking for dirt on his family. As he gets to know Katie, he begins to trust her and his guard comes down but what he doesn’t anticipate is that the station she works for may have their own agenda. What ensues is a classic story of opposites attract where the Prince develops feelings for the woman that has thrust herself into his life. Along the way there are misunderstandings, mishaps and a fair few hurdles but could Katie and Prince really have a future together?
Brittany Underwood is without a doubt the star of this film. She carries it on her shoulders thanks to an energetic performance that is grounded in heart and emotion. I’ll admit I hadn’t heard of Underwood before but I’ll certainly be on the lookout for what she does in the future. She’s paired well with Jonathan Stoddard, who despite an occasionally dodgy British accent, rises to the occasion turning in a charismatic and believable performance. William Baldwin is a scene stealer as Katie’s put-upon producer Jerrod, and he’s a nice addition to the film.
‘A Royal Christmas Holiday’ is a high note to end this year’s batch of holiday films on. There’s a lot of heart behind the story and while it may rehash a few cliches of the genre, that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable. Airing just two days before Christmas, ‘A Royal Christmas Holiday’ is the kind of feel-good festive film that warms the heart and helps you get into the spirit of the season. What more could you really ask for?
Cast: Brittany Underwood, Jonathan Stoddard, William Baldwin, Charlene Amoia, Louie Chapman, Meredith Thomas Director: Fred Olen Ray Writer: Fred Olen Ray Certificate: Unrated Duration: 87 mins Released by: Great American Family Release date: 23rd December 2023
Find out more about ‘A Royal Christmas Holiday’ at https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/movie/a-royal-christmas-holiday/.
