This film predicts the reign of King Charles will inspire a sex scandal, violent protests, and Princess Di’s ghost

As King Charles’ coronation draws near, the mood in the air is… indifferent, at best.

While there’s plenty that could be said about the royal family—for now, we’ll let this giant penis do the talking—there’s no denying the historical nature of the new King of England’s crowning.

Especially after Queen Elizabeth II’s 70-plus-year reign, it feels hard to even imagine what the future of the British monarchy looks like under Charles’ rule.

But “imagine” is exactly what playwright Mike Bartlett did when he wrote King Charles III in 2014—a play staged well in advance of the Queen’s passing—which attempted to predict what would go down when Charles ascended to the throne.

And guess what? Things get messy fast.

In 2017, Bartlett (known for writing the infamously titled Cock) adapted the play to film for The BBC—featuring most of the original cast—and it would later air in the US as part of PBS’ Masterpiece series. Naturally, it was controversial from the minute it was announced.

A Royal Mess

King Charles III opens on the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, as Charles (played by Tim Pigott-Smith, who passed before the special aired) gathers with the royal family to gather the loss of their matriarch.

But it’s quickly back to business for the King in waiting, and Charles is immediately embroiled in a battle over press regulations with the Prime Minister. You see, he’s worried about restricting freedom of the press, which actually makes Charles somewhat sympathetic, and gives us our first hint that the story will be wading into some moral grey areas.

The argument over press regulations becomes so nasty that Charles winds up dissolving the Parliament entirely, by royal decree, which inspires a major wave of violent protests across the country. The King, in turn, beefs up his guard at the palace, further isolating himself from the rest of the government.

Did King Charles III Predict Meghan Markle?

Meanwhile, we also spend some time with Prince Harry and—this is where Bartlett’s writing becomes most eerily prescient—his new relationship with a working-class woman named Jess.

Like Meghan Markle, Jess’ family is of African descent, and she’s also found herself the target of gossip-hungry tabloids, in this case because she has an ex threatening to leak nude photos of her. There’s even concern over whether or not Harry will leave the royal family to be with Jess as a commoner. Sound familiar?

Mind you, the story of King Charles III was imagined and written years prior to Harry and Meghan even meeting!

Lady Di Haunts The King

Oh, right, and there’s also the matter of the ghost of Princess Diana, who appears to Charles and Prince William throughout the film. If that feels more than a little exploitative, well, you’re not the only one to think that.

In a video package accompanying the film, Pigott-Smith acknowledged that Lady Di’s apparitions were upsetting to many—including himself—but ultimately decided, “Diana was divisive in life; all the play says is that’s she’s divisive in death, as well.”

Well, okay then!

A Surprise Crowning

So—spoilers!—but you want to know how it ends, right?

Attempting to keep the peace, Prince William (with full support from Kate Middleton) announces himself as official mediator between his father and the Parliament, which only makes Charles feel more betrayed.

Eventually, William offers an ultimatum: Abdicate the throne or your family will never talk to you again. A fearful and lonely Charles relents, agreeing to cede the crown to his eldest son, which quells the protests and restores the country to the same old order it’s operated under for years.

As for Harry, he decides love isn’t worth it and breaks things off with Jess. If only he knew about the multi-million dollar publishing deals, podcasting networks, and Oprah interviews that would await him had they stayed together and lived a public life!

In the end, King Charles III concludes with a coronation—but not for Charles. We watch as he rather grumpily places the crown on William’s head, and the adoring public cheers on their new king.

Now, we don’t imagine that’s how things are going to go down on Saturday, May 6, and the real coronation, but… you never know!

King Charles III is streamable on Hoopla and Kanopy, and is available for digital rental via AppleTV and Amazon Prime Video.

Related:

6 things I learned watching that trashy Diana-shaming King Charles documentary 

I think we can all agree that when it comes to public figures you just really want to root for, Charles is fairly low on the list.