Netflix wasted no time releasing its first romantic comedy of 2022 ahead of Valentine's Day. The Royal Treatment stars Laura Marano as Izzy, an Italian-American hairdresser whose path crosses with Prince Thomas (Mena Massoud). With a little convincing, Izzy agrees to be the hairstylist for Prince Thomas's wedding, which means the pair will be spending tons of time together.
The Royal Treatment might not be Netflix's best romantic comedy, but it is cute and has several fun tropes at play. The most obvious of these is the small-town girl who falls for a prince. Thankfully, there's no shortage of movies with similar themes, meaning there are tons of movies to watch after streaming this one.
A Christmas Prince (2017) - Stream On Netflix
When A Christmas Prince, in 2018, they had no idea that it would become the first in a very successful franchise. The movie follows Amber (Rose McIver), an American journalist who travels to Aldovia to document Prince Richard's (Ben Lamb) descent to the throne as King.
Much like The Royal Treatment, A Christmas Prince couples up an ordinary American with a future prince of a foreign nation. Amber and Izzy have a lot in common in that neither planned to fall in love and instead were very career-focused until their hearts got the better of them.
Aladdin (1992) - Stream On Disney+
Walt Disney Animation Studios is known for its royal stories, but one of the most romantic has to be the 1992 classic, Aladdin. The movie follows the "street rat" Aladdin who transforms into Prince Ali with the help of a magical genie. With newfound confidence, he sets out to woe Princess Jasmine of Agrabah.
Aladdin is a great companion to The Royal Treatment because it gender swaps the story. This time the guy is the "ordinary" one who ultimately falls for the royal. Jasmine and Izzy also share the same no-nonsense personality.
Another Cinderella Story (2009) - Available To Rent On Amazon Prime
While there have been Cinderella, one of the best in the teen space is 2009's Another Cinderella Story. This time, the story centers on Mary (Selena Gomez) a talented dancer who is being raised by a washed-up pop star who knew her mother. Mary's life begins to change when popstar Joey (Drew Seeley) enrolls in her school.
While there are no actual royals in Another Cinderella Story, it is similar to The Royal Treatment. Izzy might not be a servant to her family, but she does bear a lot of the family's responsibilities, just like Mary does.
Roman Holiday (1953) - Stream On Pluto TV
Roman Holiday is one of the most successful romantic comedies of all time, having earned Audrey Hepburn an Acadamy Award for her performance. The movie centers on Princess Ann (Hepburn) who, after being given a sedative that causes her to fall asleep on a park bench, meets American reporter Joe Bradley, who takes her back to his apartment.
Princess Ann and Prince Thomas are the ones who have the most in common in these two movies. They're both displeased with their lives as royalty and lean on the "ordinary" people around them to show them the real world that they're missing out on.
Shrek (2001) - Stream On Peacock
DreamWork's most successful animated movies of all time. Loosley based on a fairytale book of the same name, the movie follows Shrek, an ogre, who is tasked with rescuing a princess in return for his swamp being returned to him. However, as he sets out to return the princess to her prince, he begins falling for her.
While dealing with royalty is the obvious connection between these two movies, there are also some other similarities, like the fact that both Izzy and Fiona help their respective men see the beauty in the world that they've yet to explore.
The Hating Game (2021) - Rent On Apple TV
latest contemporary romance novels to get a movie adaptation and was released at the end of 2021. The movie centers on two executive assistants who are forced to work together after their companies merge.
While Izzy and Prince Thomas might not dislike each other quite as much Lucy and Joshua do in The Hating Game, there is definitely some tension between them. That's why this is a great companion movie for fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope.
The Prince And Me (2004) - Rent On Apple TV
Though The Prince and Me wasn't the box office's biggest hit in 2004, it did create a devoted fanbase, which lead to several sequels. The original movie follows Paige (Julia Stiles), a devoted pre-med student who is pursued by Prince Edward, pretending to be an ordinary college student.
There are tons of similarities between The Prince and Me and The Royal Treatment, especially involving the love stories at the center of them. In fact, it can be said that both princes end up falling for the women first.
The Princess Diaries (2001) - Stream On Disney+
Anne Hathaway plays Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, an ordinary San Francisco teenager who discovers that she is in line to be the next Queen of Genovia. The movie was one of Disney's most unexpected box office successes.
The Royal Treatment is a lot like The Princess Diaries when one looks at the themes of royalty in both. Like Mia, Prince Thomas isn't thrilled with his new title and how his country operates, another way these two movies are similar.
The Princess Switch (2018) - Stream On Netflix
Netflix's most successful rom-com franchises. The original, which was released as a Christmas movie, centers on a duchess and an ordinary Chicago woman who decide to swap places since they are doppelgangers of each other.
While there is no identity swapping in The Royal Treatment, it does feature some similar themes as The Princess Switch. For instance, both Stacy and Izzy help their princes be better at their jobs by showing them the world outside their palaces.
The Proposal (2009) - Stream On Hulu
Released in 2009, The Proposal was a commercially and critically successful rom-com that earned Sandra Bullock a Golden Globe nomination. The movie centers on Margaret (Bullock), a book editor who is forced to marry her assistant (Ryan Reynolds) to avoid being deported back to Canada.
While Margaret and Andrew's love story might have started as a sham, it's clear these two learn to love each other, much like Izzy and Prince Thomas in The Royal Treatment. Both movies also feature hilarious hijinks, which make them great companion pieces.
