The Prince & Me is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Martha Coolidge, and starring Julia Stiles, Luke Mably and Ben Miller, with Miranda Richardson, James Fox and Alberta Watson. The film focuses on Paige Morgan, a pre-med college student in Wisconsin, who is pursued by a Danish prince posing as an ordinary college student. The film had 3 direct-to-video sequels created under different writers and a new director, with Kam Heskin replacing Julia Stiles in the role of Paige Morgan: The Prince & Me 2: The Royal Wedding (2006), The Prince & Me: A Royal Honeymoon (2008), and The Prince & Me: The Elephant Adventure (2010).

Plot

Paige Morgan is an ambitious pre-medical student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Denmark s Crown Prince Edvard prefers to live the life of a playboy, and when with his family often ignores or marginalizes his royal responsibilities.

Inspired by a television commercial showing Wisconsin co-eds flashing their breasts, Edvard meets with his parents, King Haraald and Queen Rosalind, and announces his intention to attend college in America—specifically, Wisconsin, and to do so anonymously. The Queen then dispatches Edvard s majordomo, Søren, to chaperone the trip. Arriving at the university, Edvard orders Søren to keep his identity a secret and to call him Eddie .

Later at a bar, Eddie sees Paige serving and asks her to take off her shirt, like on television. Paige angrily drenches Eddie with the drink hose and bouncers escort Eddie from the bar. Eddie later apologizes to Paige, but she is annoyed when they are assigned as lab partners for an organic chemistry class. Since the class is important for Paige s medical school ambitions, she warns Eddie to not get in her way and reprimands him after he sleeps in through one of their lab experiments. Running out of money, Eddie gets a job in the deli section of the bar. Paige reluctantly helps him during his first day, and the two start to mend fences. Paige does well in science, but she struggles in an English literature class. Eddie uses his earlier education to help Paige gain a better understanding of William Shakespeare, and Paige instructs Edvard in common household chores like laundry.

Since Eddie is away from his family and unfamiliar with American holidays, Paige invites him to her parents’ dairy farm for Thanksgiving. Paige s father explains how he struggles to keep the small farm afloat, and Eddie uses his mechanical skills to fine-tune a riding mower for a race, which he wins. Keith Kopetsky, a rival racer reveals to be a sore loser and punches Eddie. After the fight that follows, Paige treats his grazes and they kiss for the first time.

Back at school, Eddie and Paige study for final exams. They sneak off to the library stacks to pursue a romantic encounter, where they kiss and take off his jacket and shirt. They are shortly ambushed by members of the Danish tabloid press. Once away from the mayhem, Paige learns his real identity and walks away from him through the rain. Just then, Eddie is notified by his mother that his father is very ill and she asks him to return home. While Paige is questioned at a viva voce panel about Shakespeare, she realizes that she loves Edvard and runs to find him, but his roommate Scotty tells her that he has already left for Denmark. She follows him there and while being driven round Copenhagen is delayed by a royal parade. Paige leaves her taxi and is recognized from the papers by the crowd, who call Edvard’s attention to her. He mounts her behind him on his horse, hurriedly opens a parliamentary session and takes her to the castle.

The queen objects to Edvard s choice, but the king tells him that if he loves Paige, he should marry her. Edvard proposes and Paige accepts. After witnessing him reconcile workers and employers in a parliamentary committee, the queen realizes that Paige has helped him grow up at last and will make a good queen. However, during Eddie s coronation ball, Paige remembers that she is betraying her ambition to become a doctor working in Third World countries, breaks off her engagement and returns home.

King Haraald abdicates and the newly crowned Edvard realizes that he too has responsibilities to shoulder. However, he arrives after Paige’s graduation and tells her that she is his choice and he is willing to wait for however long it takes to achieve her dreams.

Cast

• Julia Stiles as Paige Morgan
• Luke Mably as Edvard, Crown Prince of Denmark/Edvard III, King of Denmark ( Eddie Williams )
• Ben Miller as Søren
• Miranda Richardson as Rosalind, Queen consort of Denmark
• James Fox as Haraald, King of Denmark
• Alberta Watson as Amy Morgan
• John Bourgeois as Ben Morgan
• Zachary Knighton as John Morgan
• Stephen O Reilly as Mike Morgan
• Elisabeth Waterston as Beth Curtis
• Eliza Bennett as Princess Arabella
• Devin Ratray as Scotty
• Clare Preuss as Stacey
• Yaani King as Amanda
• Eddie Irvine as Himself
• Angelo Tsarouchas as Stu
• Jacques Tourangeau as Professor Amiel
• Joanne Baron as Margueritte – Royal Designer
• Stephen Singer as Professor Begler
• Sarah Manninen as Krista
• Tony Munch as Keith Kopetsky
• John Nelles as Race Announcer
• Claus Bue as Lutheran Archbishop

Soundtrack

The film s soundtrack was released on March 30, 2004, in the United States by Hollywood Records.

Track listing

Reception

The film received negative reviews from critics and Rotten Tomatoes rated it 27% based on 116 reviews, an overall rotten rating. They called the film bland, fluffy, and predictable bit of wish fulfillment . Metacritic reported the movie had an average score of 47 out of 100, based on 31 reviews. The Christian Science Monitor s David Sterritt gave the film a positive review, calling it quite appealing, thanks to good-humored acting and to Martha Coolidge s quiet directing style. Meanwhile, Manohla Dargis of the Los Angeles Times gave the film a negative review, calling it a blandly diverting, chastely conceived and grammatically challenged fairy tale USA Today said that The Prince & Me was overall well-meaning, cute, sweet but that the film could have been improved with a bit more quirkiness and a little less formula.

Year	2004
ReleaseDate	2004-04-02
RuntimeMins	111
RuntimeStr	1h 51min
Plot	At college Paige meets Eddie, a fellow student from Denmark, whom she first dislikes but later accepts, likes, and loves; he proves to be Crown Prince Edvard. Paige follows him to Copenhagen, and he follows her back to school with…
Awards	Awards, 1 nomination
Directors	Martha Coolidge
Writers	Mark Amin, Katherine Fugate, Jack Amiel
Stars	Julia Stiles, Luke Mably, Miranda Richardson
Produced by	Mark Amin, Mike Elliott, Jeffrey Lampert, David Minkowski, Robin Schorr, Matthew Stillman, Cami Winikoff
Music by	Jennie Muskett
Cinematography by	Alex Nepomniaschy
Film Editing by	Steven Cohen
Casting By	Kerry Barden, Mark Bennett, Billy Hopkins, Lene Seested, Suzanne Smith
Production Design by	James H. Spencer
Costume Design by	Magali Guidasci
Makeup Department	Libuse Barlova, Alessondra Bastianoni, Katie Brennan, Hana Chylova, Beatrice De Alba, Rikke Dengso, Karola Dirnberger, Linda Eisenhamerova, Paula Fleet, Susan Hayward, Kristen Paynter, Kelly Shanks, Ivo Strangmüller, Deborah Williams
Production Management	Karen Gorodetzky, Jiri Husak, Deb LeFaive, Jasmina Torbati
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director	James Bitonti, Jim Brebner, Jakub Dvorak, Vladimir Nemecek, Craig Newman, Kim Palmen, Branko Racki, Martin Sebik, James H. Spencer, Michaela Strnadova
Art Department	Edward Bonutto, David DeMarinis, Danielle Fleury, Ross Fraser, Ian Hall, Andrew Hull, Karel Jinda, Sasa Kozak, Alan Letts, Jeff Mawle, John Moran, Ondrej Nekvasil, Peter P. Nicolakakos, Chris Pellegrini, Marie Raskova, Jan Svoboda, Vlasta Svoboda, Giles Vanderholt
Sound Department	Tomas Cervenka, Greg Chapman, Andrew Ellerd, David Hankins, Robin Harlan, Brian W. Jennings, J. Stanley Johnston, Thomas Jones, Helen Luttrell, Peter Melnychuk, Sarah Monat, Robert Morrisey, Bob Newlan, Ralph Osborn, Erin Michael Rettig, Roman Rigo, Jeff Sawyer, Melissa Sherwood Hofmann, Christopher Sidor, Randy Singer, Andy Sisul, Erich Stratmann, David Williams, Dorian Williamson
Special Effects by	Tomas Hartl, Kaz Kobielski, Peter Sissakis, Dean Stewart
Visual Effects by	Danny Albano, Peter Bowmar, Will Cunningham, Kent Demaine, Steven Fagerquist, Karin Levinson, Will Robbins, Brian Smallwood, Rob Delicata
Stunts	Ron Bell, Shane Cardwell, Dean Copkov, Maxine Dumont, Joel Harris, Petr Hynek, Brian Jagersky, Danny Lima, Steve Lucescu, Jim Lyttle, Darren McGuire, Dwayne McLean, Pavel Myslik, Edward A. Queffelec, Branko Racki, Bryan J. Thomas, Ron Van Hart, Geoff Williams
Camera and Electrical Department	Jeff Daniel Adams, Jan Boruvka, Gary Bower, Brendan Bresnahan, Jayson Clute, Pete Daprato, Robert Daprato, Steven Desbrow, Klaus Fuxjäger, Greg Grainger, Tony Guerin, John B. Harper, Gail Harvey, Michal Houzvicka, Ladislav Hruby, Marcel Janisse, Igor Jelen, Karel Kaliban, Bohumil Kapek, Patrick King, Robert Kodera, Gábor Kövér, Ari Magder, Alan Millar, Monty Montgomerie, Frantisek Novák, Miroslav Pavlik, David Perrault, Ervin Sanders, Jaromir Sedina, Paul Spaven, John Sztejnmiler, Franco Tata, Isabella Vosmikova
Casting Department	Vanessa Baker, Nancy Bishop, Robin D. Cook, Deborah Maxwell Dion, Brendan Donnison, Nicole Hilliard-Forde, Jirí Hrstka, Claire Saunders, Gail Stevens
Costume and Wardrobe Department	Catherine Ashton, Miroslav Fantys, Robert Iannaccone, Ritta Koleva, Kathleen Meade, Vera Mirová, Patricie Palmer, Jitka Svecova, Barbora Wildova
Editorial Department	Josh Campbell, Audrey Evans, Andrew Havelberg, Martin Hubacek, Paul Murphy, Jim Passon, Mila Patriki, Dawn M. Stoliar
Location Management	Derek Brady, Jeremy Pinard, Jeffery Pong, Petr Skvor, Bob Tennent, Pavel Voracek
Music Department	Mark Berrow, Ray Colcord, Matt Dunkley, Geoff Foster, Joel C. High, Mitchell Leib, Ernie Mannix, Chris McGeary, Andrew McKenna, Rob Playford, Joel J. Richard, Robin Urdang, Allen Walley, Warren Zielinski, Rachel Bolt, Denise Carver, Paul Kegg, Steve Mair, Bruce White
Script and Continuity Department	Kathryn Buck
Transportation Department	Lee Bryan, John Coles, Jiri Fleischer, Rickey Giallonardo, Richard Wild
Additional Crew	Jody Beaudin, Michael Beaudin, Michelle Berrigan, Bianca Bezdek-Goodloe, Tom Bishop Jr., Tom Bishop Sr., Michele Brody, Gabi Brown, Jason Cooper, Carole Costello, Boban Dvorak, Jay Floyd, Christian Hamilton, Marcela Jahodova Zachova, Lubos Jirgl, Vladimir Kesl, Michael Kessler, Kathryn Metcalfe, Miroslav Mika, Veronica Miller, Kristen Morton, Anthony Pangalos, Steena Petersen, Vanessa Pickering, Karen Pidgurski, Katerina Popelova, Lara Popic, Lori M. Roberts, Deborah Ross, Kevin Michael Schembri, Adrian Sheepers, Rachel Suhanic, Marketa Tom, Klara Varadiova, Cecily Wills, Dale Wyatt
Genres	Comedy, Family, Romance
Companies	Lions Gate Films, Sobini Films, Epsilon Motion Pictures
Countries	USA, Czech Republic
Languages	English, Danish, German
ContentRating	PG
ImDbRating	5.8
ImDbRatingVotes	39930
MetacriticRating	47
Keywords	female director,female filmmaker,shorthaired girl,masculine woman,love