12 TV Shows the Royal Family Secretly Loves to Binge-Watch

It seems even the royal family isn't immune to binge-watching comfort shows after a tiring day. Over the years, several members of the family have let slip the TV shows they enjoy, from period dramas and thrillers to farming documentaries and reality TV. While one royal has a taste for Regency romance, another has a soft spot for 1960s advertising drama, and one young prince apparently knows exactly what he thinks of Jeremy Clarkson’s colorful language.

Queen Elizabeth had her own distinctly British TV favorites. The late Queen was reportedly a fan of Downton Abbey, and author Brian Hoey, in a conversation with People, claimed that she would “point out things they have got wrong” because she was familiar with Highclere Castle, where the period drama was filmed. The castle was the home of her close friend, Lord Porchester, and the late Queen used to frequently visit it as a guest.

Although King Charles and Queen Camilla have their hands full with responsibilities, they still find time to enjoy their favorite shows. The King has previously spoken about enjoying Poldark. During a 2018 visit to Cornwall, he discussed the TV adaptation of Winston Graham’s novels. He said, “What I can’t get over watching that Poldark stuff on the television is just how many he wrote," Women and Home reported. And then there is Camilla, whose viewing choices take a more mysterious and romantic turn. The Queen previously admitted to Sofie Gråbøl that she was hooked on The Killing, “I’m an addict. I’m so excited by this," as per The Guardian. More recently, she revealed that she had watched the first half of season three of Bridgerton while visiting its garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. “I watched the first lot," she told the cast members.

Prince William and Princess Kate, meanwhile, have proved that royal viewing habits can be surprisingly modern. William has openly revealed his appreciation for Killing Eve, with producer Sally Woodward Gentle recalling that he had watched the series and “loved it.” She told People how the Prince said he discussed its “dark humor," cast members' acting, and costume. Kate, on the other hand, reportedly enjoys watching The Kardashians. During her recovery from abdominal surgery in 2024, a source quoted by Marie Claire claimed that the Princess of Wales had been “reading and streaming her guilty pleasure shows, like Bridgerton and The Kardashians.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have also revealed some unexpected choices. For Harry, the answer is Star Wars and Jeopardy. Harry, on The Late Late Show in February 2021, told James Corden, “Meg might cook a meal, we might order a takeaway, go upstairs, sit in bed, turn the TV on, watch some Jeopardy, maybe watch a little bit of Netflix.” He and William also visited the Star Wars set at Pinewood Studios in 2016, later attending the European premiere of The Last Jedi in London. As for Markle, the former actress likes Mad Men. Previously, during an interview for Entertainment Weekly's 'Pop Culture Personality Test,' she shared that the Jon Hamm-led drama is among her must-watches, alongside Girls and The Newsroom.

And then there are the youngest royals, whose television preferences have already started to emerge. Prince George is apparently a fan of Clarkson’s Farm, something his father revealed when he met stars Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland in 2025. William told Cooper, “You’ve got George watching now. I said to him, ‘What shall I say if I meet Kaleb?’” George’s answer to it was direct: “Tell Kaleb to mind his language.” Princess Charlotte, meanwhile, is said to love Strictly Come Dancing. In 2023, Kate reportedly took Charlotte and Prince Louis to the Strictly set, where they sat in the judges’ seats and met dancers and presenters. A source told Vanity Fair at the time, “Kate and Charlotte are huge fans of Strictly, so they were delighted to be invited.”