When it comes to cozy Christmas rom-coms, Netflix is the streaming world’s answer to the Hallmark Channel, as every holiday season sees the platform offering a bigger selection of titles. 2024 was a banner year for them, with us getting Lindsay Lohan’s triumphant return to NetflixChristmas romance movies, as she followed up 2022’sFalling for ChristmaswithOur Little Secret. Lohan’sMean Girlsco-star and perennial Hallmark leading lady Lacey Chabert also got in on the Netflix holiday fun withHot Frosty. Other 2024 Christmas romance titles on the streamer includedThe Merry GentlemenandMeet Me Next Christmas.
Yes, Netflix has been in the holiday rom-com game for a long time, dating back to 2017 and its inaugural offering in the genre,A Christmas Prince. The charming movie sees an American journalist sent to Aldovia to get the inside scoop on the fictional country’s rakish prince. Naturally, sparks fly, and the two fall head over heels for each other. Two sequels followed,A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding(2018) andA Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby(2019).Even though it’s been almost six years since the last movie, we holiday romantics are wondering if there’s any chance forA Christmas Prince 4.
A Christmas Prince 4 Is Not Confirmed
It’s Not Likely To Happen
Netflix has given no indication that they plan to return to the whimsical world of Aldovia, and, at the risk of sounding like a Scrooge, I think their silence speaks volumes and thatA Christmas Prince 4is unlikely to happen. The first threeChristmas Princemovies were released like clockwork during the holiday seasons of 2017, 2018, and 2019, soif a fourth film was indeed planned, it likely would have come out in 2020. Maybe 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. And, as we discussed, it’s not like Netflix is shying away from the holiday romance genre. If anything, they’re doubling down.
There’s also the fact thattheAChristmas Princefranchise has seen diminishing returns from a critical standpoint. The first film earned a respectable 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, withThe Royal Weddingplummeting to 50% andThe Royal Babyreceiving a paltry 36%. The aggregator site’s audience scores were overall even worse, with 49%, 37%, and 40%, respectively. Granted, critics are often inexplicably harsh on the rom-com genre, and RT’s audience scores often see female-led movies fare poorly.
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Still, one reason forthe lack ofA Christmas Prince 4could be thatthere’s just nowhere to go with the story. If the first three movies see Amber (Rose McIver) and Richard (Ben Lamb) falling in love, getting married, and having their first child, what’s next? I think I can speak for holiday romance fans when I say that the last thing we want is to see their marriage in jeopardy. If a fourth movie is going to happen, it should be an exciting yet escapist story, and maybe the writers just haven’t come up with anything.
A Christmas Prince 4 Cast
Rose McIver Says She’d Come Back
Even if Netflix wanted to makeA Christmas Prince 4, the whole thing would hinge on whether they could get the original cast to return. WithA Christmas Prince 3releasing back in 2019, six years is a long time in Hollywood, and the cast may have moved on. Leads Ben Lamb and Rose McIver have both had recent success in television with respective roles onThe Gilded AgeandGhosts. However, even though it may be a pipe dream,McIver divulged toVarietythat she would love to return to theChristmas Princeuniverse:
I’m still knocking on their door. I’m like, ‘Guys, I’m ready. I want to go back.’ I love that group of people. When I worked with them, we had really special times together. I loved Romania, where we filmed. I’m always down to keep that story going. I think it’s one of the funniest franchises I could ever be part of, and I had such a good time making it. So maybe down the line. From your lips to God’s ears.
With any luck, McIver can galvanize her fellowChristmas Princecastmates into putting a bug in Netflix’s ear that they’re ready for more. Of course, Lamb would need to return as Amber’s husband, King Richard of Aldovia. And inNetflix’sA Christmas Princeuniverse, family is everything, so a fourth film would need to include Richard’s mother, Queen Helena (Alice Krige), and his younger sister, Princess Emily (Honor Kneafsey), both of whom have appeared in all three previous movies.
A Christmas Prince 4 Story Details
Rose McIver Has Plenty Of Ideas
With no confirmed plans forA Christmas Prince 4, any ideas for what its story could be about is pure speculation. However, Rose McIver appears ready and eager to pitch some ideas to Netflix. In the same conversation withVariety, where she said she’s ready to go back,McIver joked, “A Christmas Second Royal Baby!” as a possible name and premise for the fourth movie. However, the actress had some even better ideas that she shared withVulture:
A positive story about how we’re able to overcome a slump in a marriage by asking for help. It would be great. [Laughs.]What’s more likely is something about Princess Emily and how she’s coming of age. Should viewers demand it, there’s a lot of different ways the film could go.
A Christmas rom-com about a marriage slump is definitely a novel idea, as many romances, holiday or not, are centered on new and young love. However, that concept may be a little too real for audiences who are looking for some escapist holiday fun. Plus, we already got to watch Amber and Richard get their happily ever after — please don’t take that away from us!
Honor Kneafsey steals every scene she’s in as Richard’s charming little sister, and though she started the franchise as a child, the actress is 20 years old now, the perfect age to lead a holiday romance movie.
But I really like McIver’s idea to refocus the franchise on Princess Emily. Honor Kneafsey steals every scene she’s in as Richard’s charming little sister, and though she started the franchise as a child, the actress is 20 years old now, the perfect age to lead a holiday romance movie. Netflix, if you’re reading this, answer Rose McIver’s knock at your door, listen to her ideas, and makeA Christmas Prince 4happen.
