Royal watching: Majestic TV dramas to celebrate the Queen's birthday

God save the Queen… and the annual public holiday she brings us.

No plans for the long weekend? Stan has you covered.

What better way to celebrate Elizabeth II's birthday than by cosying up with some fellow royals?

If you love royal intrigue, historical romance, and elaborate costumes, here's our pick of the most binge-worthy regal dramas worth devoting your weekend to.

The Tudors

Most history books paint King Henry VIII as a pudgy and greedy dictator with a penchant for ruthlessly beheading his many wives. While that's mostly true, ye olde Henry was once a young, attractive and charismatic leader.

In the compelling Stan series The Tudors, Irish heartthrob Jonathan Rhys Meyers brilliantly portrays the passionate young man who became King at age 17 and ruled England for 40 infamous years. 

Reign

Australian actress Adelaide Kane plays Mary Stuart, otherwise known as Mary, Queen of Scots in historical drama Reign.

Praised for its feminist and progressive storytelling, the series tells the story of a woman who must work to wield power within an institution that's been explicitly designed for men.

Mary's fight to be taken seriously as a queen of both France and Scotland is told with substance and grace. Keep an eye out for another famous Australian face, Caitlin Stasey, who plays a lady-in-waiting and close friend to the queen.

The White Queen

Based on works by bestselling historical writer Philippa Gregory, The White Queen tells the story of one of the most interesting British historical figures, Elizabeth Woodville.

Queen consort of King Edward IV of England, Elizabeth also had a great political influence, and gave birth to 12 children who would go on to represent her on the throne. In fact, every monarch that has reigned since Henry VIII onwards has been her descendant.

The White Queen is set during the Wars of the Roses, which was the direct inspiration for Game of Thrones, so fans of the popular HBO series will definitely spot some familiar tropes.

The White Princess

Like The White Queen before it, The White Princess is an addictive royal drama told through the eyes of the women surrounding the throne in the late 15th century. In their quest for power, they will scheme, manipulate and seduce their way into royalty.

Rising star Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) takes on the role of Elizabeth of York, the daughter of Edward IV, wife of Henry VI, and mother of Henry VIII. 

The Spanish Princess

While most Tudor-era dramas tend to revolve heavily around Henry VIII or Elizabeth I, The Spanish Princess takes a fresh new direction and explores the fascinating life of Catherine of Aragon.

In a bid to align the kingdoms of Spain and England, the young Spanish Catholic royal was betrothed to Prince Arthur and later married his younger brother Henry.

Fiercely religious and loyal to her people, Catherine believed it was her God-given duty to become the Queen of England, and would stop at nothing to get what she thought she was entitled to. It makes for some pretty captivating viewing.

New episodes drop every Monday at noon on Stan, which is perfect timing to round up your long weekend of royal watching.

The Royals

Elizabeth Hurley stuns as sexy Queen Helena in Stan series The Royals, which follows the scandalous lives of a fictional British royal family as they navigate the rigours of upholding their traditional position in a modern world.

Fame and fortune go hand in hand with duty, destiny and intense public scrutiny in the scintillating drama that will have you binging all four seasons quicker than the Markle family can stir up more controversy.

*Presented by Stan.