{{Short description|2018 American Christmas romantic comedy film by Mike Rohl}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox film | name = The Princess Switch | image = The Princess Switch.png | alt = | caption = Official release poster | director = [[Michael Rohl|Mike Rohl]] | producer = {{Plainlist| * Amy Krell * [[Brad Krevoy]] * Linda L. Miller }} | writer = {{Plainlist| * [[Robin Bernheim]] * Megan Metzger }} | starring = {{Plainlist| * [[Vanessa Hudgens]] * [[Sam Palladio]] * [[Nick Sagar]] }} | music = Terry Frewer | cinematography = {{Plainlist| * Viorel Sergovici * Lulu de Hillerin }} | editing = Charles Norris | studio = [[Motion Picture Corporation of America]] | distributor = [[Netflix]] | released = {{Film date|2018|11|16}} | runtime = 102 minutes | country = United States | language = English }}
'''''The Princess Switch''''' is a 2018 American [[Christmas film|Christmas]] [[romantic comedy]] film directed by [[Michael Rohl|Mike Rohl]] and written by [[Robin Bernheim]] and Megan Metzger. The film stars [[Vanessa Hudgens]], [[Sam Palladio]], and [[Nick Sagar]].
The film's concept of two people who look identical running into one another and switching places comes from [[Mark Twain]]'s 1881 novel ''[[The Prince and the Pauper]]''.
It was released on November 16, 2018, by [[Netflix]]. The film is the first installment in [[The Princess Switch (film series)|''The Princess Switch'' trilogy]]. It was followed by a sequel, ''[[The Princess Switch: Switched Again]]'', which premiered on November 19, 2020, and ''[[The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star]]'', which premiered on November 18, 2021.
==Plot== <!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summary should be between 400 to 700 words. --> A week before Christmas, Stacy’s assistant and best friend, Kevin tells her that he has secretly entered her in a prestigious baking competition in the Kingdom of Belgravia. Initially reluctant, Stacy agrees to go there with Kevin and his daughter Olivia after a brief encounter with her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend.
At the competition space, Stacy runs into her culinary school rival Brianna, who deliberately stains her apron. In the dressing room, she then runs into Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro and fiancée of Crown Prince Edward of Belgravia. They are both shocked to realize they look exactly like each other.
Desperate for time out of the spotlight and to try an ordinary life, Margaret suggests to Stacy that they switch places for two days, then switch back before the competition and her and Edward's wedding. Initially reluctant, Stacy eventually accepts. This is because Lady Margaret agrees to sponsor Olivia as a student in Belgravia's acclaimed summer ballet program.
Stacy and Margaret quickly teach each other about their lives and behavior to minimize suspicion, and part ways. Olivia quickly discovers the switch but helps keep the secret while bonding with Margaret. Meanwhile, Prince Edward – who was supposed to be away on business for the two days of the switch – changes his plans to spend time with his fiancée.
King George senses something is afoot, so tasks his butler Frank to watch her. Stacy adapts to court life and begins falling in love with Prince Edward, while Margaret falls in love with Kevin and realizes that she loves living a normal life. Despite this, the women switch back as planned. Meanwhile, Brianna sneaks into the TV station one night and sabotages Stacy's mixer.
Frank photographs Margaret and Stacy together, and shows that they swapped identities to the Queen. She then fakes illness to send Edward and Margaret to attend the competition in her place. There, due to Brianna's vandalism, Stacy is forced to mix her ingredients by hand.
Despite the setback, Stacy and Kevin win first prize, with medals presented by Lady Margaret and Prince Edward, where their switch is discovered. Margaret professes her love for Kevin, while Stacy walks away, feeling out of place in Edward's royal life. Edward stops her and proposes, suggesting a Christmas wedding in a year if they are still in love.
One year later, Stacy marries Prince Edward and becomes Princess of Belgravia, and Margaret catches the bouquet.
==Cast==
* [[Vanessa Hudgens]] as ** Stacy De Novo, a baker from [[Chicago]] later Princess of Belgravia ** Lady Margaret Delacourt, Duchess of Montenaro * [[Sam Palladio]] as Edward Wyndham, Prince of Belgravia * [[Nick Sagar]] as Kevin Richards, Stacy's best friend and Olivia's father * Alexa Adeosun as Olivia Richards, Kevin's daughter and Stacy’s goddaughter * [[Mark Fleischmann]] as Frank De Luca, Prince Edward's driver * [[Suanne Braun]] as Mrs. Donatelli, Duchess Margret's personal assistant * [[Sara Stewart]] as Queen Caroline Wyndham, Prince Edward's mother and Queen of Belgravia * [[Pavel Douglas]] as King George Wyndham, Prince Edward's father and King of Belgravia * Amy Griffiths as Brianna Michaels, Stacy's baking rival * [[Robin Soans]] as Kindly Old Man
==Production== In June 2018, it was reported that [[Vanessa Hudgens]] and [[Sam Palladio]] would star in the Netflix film ''The Princess Switch''.<ref name="Announcement">{{cite news|url=https://www.bustle.com/p/vanessa-hudgens-movie-the-princess-switch-on-netflix-will-be-your-next-christmas-movie-obsession-photos-9431861|title=Vanessa Hudgens' Movie 'The Princess Switch' On Netflix Will Be Your Next Christmas Movie Obsession — PHOTOS|work=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 18, 2018|access-date=July 19, 2018|archive-date=December 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226135547/https://www.bustle.com/p/vanessa-hudgens-movie-the-princess-switch-on-netflix-will-be-your-next-christmas-movie-obsession-photos-9431861|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|url=https://twitter.com/seewhatsnext/status/1008459602004828160|number=1008459602004828160|user=seewhatsnext|date=June 18, 2018|title=.@VanessaHudgens & @SamPalladio will star in "The Princess Switch," a rom-com about a Duchess & a commoner who swap places after discovering they look exactly alike! But things get complicated when they each fall in love with a man who doesn't know their true identity}}</ref>
[[Principal photography]] ended in June 2018.<ref name="Announcement"/> The majority of the film was shot in [[Carei]], Romania. The palace sequence was shot in Károlyi Castle, Carei Romania.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/the-princess-switch-review-what-to-know/|title=The Princess Switch: Review, What To Know Before and After Watching|date=November 16, 2018|website=What's on Netflix|access-date=November 16, 2018|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207151920/https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/the-princess-switch-review-what-to-know/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Release== It was released on November 16, 2018, by [[Netflix]].<ref name="xmas2018">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/17/netflix-christmas-tv-movies-2018/|title=First look at 3 new Netflix holiday movies, including A Christmas Prince sequel|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=October 17, 2018|access-date=October 17, 2018|archive-date=October 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181017204034/https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/17/netflix-christmas-tv-movies-2018/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Reception== On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}, based on {{RT data|count}} reviews. The website's critics consensus reads: "The Princess Switch offers a healthy dose of charming, light-hearted, twin-swap fun and is delightful viewing for any hopeless romantic."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_princess_switch|title=The Princess Switch|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}|archive-date=2022-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221214025410/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_princess_switch|url-status=live}}</ref>
Linda Holmes of [[NPR]] praised the movie's acting and called it "pleasingly frothy and ridiculous", while criticizing unrealistic aspects of the plot.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Holmes|first=Linda|date=2018-11-16|title=Can You Double Your Holiday Pleasure With Netflix's 'The Princess Switch'?|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2018/11/16/668574141/can-you-double-your-holiday-pleasure-with-netflixs-the-princess-switch|access-date=2021-10-05|archive-date=2023-01-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129061413/https://www.npr.org/2018/11/16/668574141/can-you-double-your-holiday-pleasure-with-netflixs-the-princess-switch|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Sequels== A sequel ''[[The Princess Switch: Switched Again]]'', was released on November 19, 2020.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/the-princess-switch-switched-again-netflix-first-look/|title=See first photos of Netflix's The Princess Switch: Switched Again|date=October 7, 2020|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=October 7, 2020|archive-date=October 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211007030402/https://ew.com/movies/the-princess-switch-switched-again-netflix-first-look/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Vanessa Hudgens]] took on another role as a third lookalike as well as served as a producer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/a29628903/the-princess-switch-switched-again-sequel-netflix/|title=It's a Christmas Miracle! 'The Princess Switch' Is Getting a Sequel|date=October 29, 2019|website=Cosmopolitan|access-date=May 17, 2020|archive-date=December 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226141050/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/movies/a29628903/the-princess-switch-switched-again-sequel-netflix/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The next of its sequel ''[[The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star]]'', was released on November 18, 2021.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|last2=|first2=|date=2021-10-06|title=Netflix Sets Release Dates for 'Princess Switch 3' and More Holiday Movies|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/news/netflix-princess-switch-3-release-date-holiday-movies-1235082228/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Variety|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-10-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211009153638/https://variety.com/2021/film/news/netflix-princess-switch-3-release-date-holiday-movies-1235082228/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Vanessa Hudgens]] played three lookalikes as well as served as a producer.<ref>{{cite web|last=|first=|date=2021-10-22|title=The Princess Switch 3 trailer is finally here and it's beyond festive|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a37946722/the-princess-switch-3-release-date/|access-date=2021-11-16|website=Cosmopolitan|language=en-GB|archive-date=2022-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221226135550/https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/entertainment/a37946722/the-princess-switch-3-release-date/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also== {{Portal|Literature|Film}} * [[List of Christmas films]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|8954732|The Princess Switch}} * {{Netflix title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|the_princess_switch|The Princess Switch}} * {{Metacritic film|title=The Princess Switch}}
{{The Prince and the Pauper}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Switch, The}} [[Category:2018 films]] [[Category:2010s Christmas comedy films]] [[Category:2018 romantic comedy films]] [[Category:American Christmas comedy films]] [[Category:American romantic comedy films]] [[Category:2018 English-language films]] [[Category:Films about royalty]] [[Category:Films based on The Prince and the Pauper]] [[Category:Films shot in Romania]] [[Category:Films about interracial romance]] [[Category:English-language Christmas comedy films]] [[Category:Netflix original films]] [[Category:2018 American films]] [[Category:English-language romantic comedy films]] [[Category:Christmas romance films]]