The Reluctant Royal
Hallmark is doubling down on royal romance with The Reluctant Royal, the second crown-worthy movie this month. Fan-favorite Andrew Walker teams up with Once Upon a Time star Emilie de Ravin for a charming fish-out-of-water story with a regal twist. Walker plays Johnny, a no-nonsense mechanic whose world is turned upside down when he discovers his long-lost father is actually a duke. But castle life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, especially when Johnny clashes with royal traditions. Let’s take a closer look at the cast and crew, where intriguing details might make this film the standout gem of the month.
The Reluctant Royal premieres on Hallmark Channel on Saturday March 8, 2025 (and streaming the next day on Hallmark+).
Listen to Girls Gone Hallmark’s Review of The Reluctant Royal
Who is in The Reluctant Royal (Hallmark – 2025):
- The Reluctant Royal was directed by the talented Kevin Fair. For Hallmark, Kevin directed last year’s My Dreams of You and For Love & Honey. POstables will likely recognize his name from the Signed, Sealed, Delivered franchise, where he directed the majority of the films. Outside of Hallmark, Fair recently directed Mormon Mom Gone Wrong: The Ruby Franke Story for Lifetime.
- The story comes from Samantha Herman, a seasoned writer and producer with an impressive list of credits. Her past story credits include ‘Tis the Season to Be Irish, Game of Love, and A Christmas Tree Grows in Colorado.
- The teleplay comes from longtime writing duo Neal and Tippi Dobrofsky. It’s been a while since we’ve seen their work on Hallmark—their last script was Love Strikes Twice in 2021. They’ve also written You Had Me at Aloha, several Wedding March movies, and a favorite of ours, Love on the Air.
- Andrew Walker takes on the role of Johnny Payne, and let’s be real – he’s a Hallmark fan favorite. In 2024 alone, he starred in five movies for the network, including the Three Wise Men sequel, Jingle Bell Run, and two Curious Caterer mysteries. Plus, he’s not just in front of the camera this time – he’s also serving as an executive producer on this one.
- Emilie de Ravin plays Prudence Thorp. Emilie is probably best known for her roles as Claire on the series Lost and as Belle in Once Upon a Time. This is her first role for Hallmark.
Andrew Walker’s Royal Movie for Hallmark – Cast and Crew
- Simon Coury plays William Duke of Glasswick. Simon has 32 acting credits dating back to 1992. He has appeared in projects like Vikings and The Tudors.
- Fiach Kunz takes on the role of Allistair Covington-Breed. You might recognize him from Vikings, Game of Thrones, or the series Younger.
- Jade Jordan plays Annie. Another Hallmark newcomer, Annie recently appeared in Video Nasty – an Irish comedy horror television series set in the 1980s.
- Elizabeth Moynihan stars as Lady Eleanor. With 37 acting credits to her name, she’s also appeared in Vikings as well as Black Mirror.
- Jimmy Walker (Hugh)
- Michael James Ford plays Jeffers. This is his second project for Hallmark, previously appearing in Christmas in Notting Hill in 2023.
- Megan Elle Day plays Dottie Moretti. With a handful of acting and writing credits under her belt, this marks her first Hallmark appearance.
- Ali Hardiman co-stars as Auggie. She has 20 previous acting credits, including Hallmark films like ‘Tis the Season to Be Irish and Christmas at Castle Heart.
- Michael Glenn Murphy takes on the role of Finchy. With 17 acting credits to his name, this marks his first appearance in a Hallmark movie.
- Eva Jane Gaffney plays Beth. She has 23 acting credits and is another newcomer to Hallmark.
Watch The Reluctant Royal Trailer – Hallmark Channel
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