THE FILM: A Christmas Prince (2017)
THE PAIR: Amber Moore (Rose McIver) and Prince Richard (Ben Lamb)
THE MOMENT: Richard and Amber’s magical first kiss
Some Spoilers: Read with Caution
There’s something magnetic about this season we’re now surrounded by. With the holidays upon us, there’s that special kind of “feeling” lingering in the air.
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the season, one of the ways I enjoy relaxing is watching the copious amounts of Christmas films that premiere during each season. This year, one of those is the Netflix original, A Christmas Prince.
A Christmas Prince Story
A Christmas Prince introduces us to Amber Moore; a plucky copy editor who cleans up the mess of her coworker’s articles in the hopes of earning a real journalism gig. Her big break arrives when her boss sends her overseas. Her assignment is to cover the mystery surrounding a crown prince rumored to be abdicating his throne.
One mistaken case of identity later (she’s assumed to be the tutor for the prince’s young sister) and Amber has a front row seat to this royal family. She settles into the palace and fumbles her way through tutoring her charge.
As she investigates the prince, Amber also begins to question herself. This man, whom she only knows by the media’s perception, is nothing like those villainous “first impressions.”
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The more time she spends in the castle, the more she softens. Whether she’s having an insightful conversation with him over the discovery he plays the piano beautifully, r engaging in a playful snowball fight, Amber soon realizes: Prince Richard is more than a headline.
Still, the journalist in her won’t go quietly. One such snow-covered night, Amber spots the prince leaving for a horseback ride. Curious, she follows him. All is going well until her horse is spooked, and she’s thrown. Cold and lost, it isn’t until Amber is nearly attacked by a wolf that she finally sees the prince again.
In a real-life fairytale moment, he rides onto the scene just in time and rescues her.
After convincing himself she is uninjured, together, they ride to safety…
The Romantic Moment Lead In: A Christmas Prince
Their refuge turns out to be a cabin nestled deep in the woods, the one place Richard seems to find some sense of comfort. Once inside, he brings Amber a cup of warm tea and in front of a blazing fire, they settle into comfortable chairs and conversation.
Without the preamble of idle conversation, Richard comes right to the point. “So now that we’ve warded off wolves, hypothermia and assured your survival…” Giving pause to his words, and with a keen awareness, he asks, “Why were you following me?”
“I was curious,” she answers, more truth in those three words than perhaps she – and certainly not Richard, realizes. She continues, hoping to lighten the mood. “And I’d never ridden a horse outside Central Park before.”
This makes the prince’s handsome but habitually serious face light up with a smile. He queries, “And?”
Bestowing a smile of her own, she replies, “I think I’ll stick to my Volvo.”
The camera backs away from this cozy moment to show us a wider view of their surroundings. Glancing around the room, as the fireplace blazes, Amber wonders aloud about where they are.
Richard explains that this was once his father’s hunting cabin. He recounts summers and winters long past, all things he learned alongside his father. Each one attached to this place.
Hoping he’ll continue, and also genuinely interested, she says, “Lots of memories,” more a statement than question.
In a contemplative mood, he follows with, “Not all of them good.” He presses on, remembering the last time they were together. They parted on bad terms.
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Still engrossed, Amber, cautiously, asks, “What happened?”
He tells her their argument left both men in a state of bitterness. It was here, Richard told his father, the man he admired and respected, he wished to renounce the throne.
The reporter in Amber is curious as to why he doesn’t want the throne. But the woman genuinely cares. So, she asks him why he doesn’t want the throne.
Uncomfortable with the topic, Richard rises to stand next to the fireplace.
But Amber believes talking about the subject might be good for him, and she tells him so.
Sharing another small piece of himself, he admits to his distaste for the public eye and the tabloids.
“So that’s what’s holding you back…” she asks. “Being in the public eye?”
It’s more “complicated” than just the fame.
Coming to stand next to him, she says, “I think you need to stop worrying about what everyone thinks of you and who your father was.” Continuing on, she encourages him to start figuring out who he is. The implication being, with his father’s influence as his guide, he needs to be his own monarch, and rule the kingdom how he envisions.
It all sounds so simple when he hears it from her, and Richards tells her as much.
She lists all of his good qualities as further influence of why he would make a good ruler. He’s smart, nice… personable.
A smile crosses his face, and he volleys back, “Except when I’m stealing your cab.” This a memory of their first meeting.
The more he opens up to Amber, the more Richard begins to drop his guard around this stranger. After a moment’s pause, he shows her one of his father’s journals. Inside a poem he wrote to Richard’s mother just days before he died.
As he reads the poem, Amber’s own emotions whir within her. She arrived an aspiring journalist, eager for her first story. Now she’s conflicted… and falling in love with her subject.
After he reads the words aloud, Richard remarks on it being some sort of riddle.
Amber softly replies, “It’s mysterious.”
“Yes,” he replies.
“It’s beautiful,” she admits.
Softly, he again says, “Yes.”
As their eyes lock, ever so slowly, Richard begins to inch closer. Magnetically, they are drawn together. They’re about to share a kiss…
But as fate would have it, a distraction outside the door pulls them apart…
The Romantic Moment
A few days later, back at the palace, feeling a new sense of kindship with this woman, Richard invites Amber on a walk. Though she wants to say no (especially after misunderstanding a conversation she overheard), something about his expression tempts her to agree.
After a rocky start, Richard questions Amber about her own past, “I feel like you know everything about me, and I know nothing about you,” he says.
As they continue strolling, the night beautiful, snow covers the ground, and twinkle lights sparkle. They come to a standstill, and feeling guilty for her deception, Amber confesses she needs to tell Richard something.
Rather than let anyone or anything – or even Amber, sabotage this perfect moment, Richard saves the dwindling moment.
Impulsively, Richard leans in and kisses Amber, letting long buried feelings to the surface.
The dreamy scene comes off just as its setting demands; dreamy.
As with any great romance, theirs is not yet over. But in this one moment, the moment envelops these two and allows them that one ideal fairytale moment Amber didn’t come looking for.
Have you seen A Christmas Prince? Do you enjoy these types of fairy tale moments or stories? Tell me about your favorites, and whether or not you liked this Neflix original! The comment section is now yours.
Photos: Netflix
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