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A Christmas in Royal Fashion
By Kat Halstead,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Festive romance isn't original but promotes kindness.
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A Christmas in Royal Fashion
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What's the Story?
In A CHRISTMAS IN ROYAL FASHION, PR assistant Kristin (Cindy Busby) longs to prove herself to her boss, Melanie (Meredith Thomas). When Melanie is called out of town before the annual Charity Christmas Fashion Festival, Kristin is left to liaise with the ambassador from the kingdom of Edgemoor, which is co-sponsoring the event. But then Prince Patrick of Edgemoor (Diarmaid Murtagh) turns up in the ambassador's place, and Kristin is accidentally mistaken for Melanie. She decides to go along with the lie in order to impress the prince and succeed in running the show.
Is It Any Good?
The movie is far from original, the dialogue is full of exposition, and the acting a little hit and miss. But, at its heart, A Christmas in Royal Fashion is well-meaning, with plenty of positive messages. Busby is particularly likable as Kristin, portraying her as an ambitious but sweet young woman who finds herself getting sucked further and further into her deception. The story of a prince falling for someone outside of his social class echoes Cinderella, albeit with a modern spin. Juliana Sada's performance as Amy, a young girl in the children's hospital who shows wisdom and empathy that inspires the adults around her, is also reminiscent of Tiny Tim from A Christmas Carol.
The settings aren't particularly elaborate, but the film does have a solidly festive feel with its fairy tale narrative, plenty of Christmas trees, recognizably festive music, twinkling, and sleigh bell sound effects. Show a little forgiveness yourself, and it'll fill you with Christmas cheer.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the different characters in A Christmas in Royal Fashion. Did they feel stereotypical? Would you consider any of the characters role models? What character strengths do they show?
How was the prince portrayed at the start of the film? Did that change by the end? What inspired him to change? How does he show compassion?
Why does Kristin pretend to be somebody else? What other reasons might people do that in real life? Do you think it's important to be yourself?
Discuss the true meaning of Christmas. What message does the movie send about the meaning of Christmas? What do you think Christmas is about?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 16, 2018
- Cast: Cindy Busby , Diarmaid Murtagh , Adam Levy
- Director: Fred Olen Ray
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Genre: Romance
- Topics: Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Holidays
- Character Strengths: Compassion , Empathy
- Run time: 90 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 20, 2023
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