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Features

William the Conqueror gets the red carpet treatment – this is the unlikeliest royal star in TV

By
20th August 2025
Prootional image for King and Conqueror

Some of the biggest names in TV gathered for the premiere of a much talked about TV show as William the Conqueror made an unlikely red carpet debut.

Stars of the new BBC One drama, which starts on August 24, were in London for the first big showing of this blockbuster telling of the ultimate tussle for the English throne and the seismic events of 1066 that saw William the Conqueror and Harold Godwineson clash at Hastings for the crown.

A still from King and Conqueror showing William the Conqueror crowned
William I is crowned as King of England in the new show King and Conqueror (BBC / CBS Studios)

James Norton, who plays Harold Godwinson and who is also an Executive Producer on the series, led the cast out alongside Emily Beecham who plays Harold’s wife, Edith.

French star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is WIlliam the Conqueror in this version with Clemence Poesy as his wife, Matilda.

A still from King and Conqueror
James Norton as Harold Godwinson in King and Conqueror (BBC / CBS Studios)

Other big names in the TV show include Juliet Stevenson who plays the Lady Emma and Eddie Marsan as King Edward the Confessor whose indecisiveness led in part to the epic battle for the throne of England which still resonates today.

They gathered at the BFI South Bank in London for the premiere, giving William the Conqueror the real star treatment.

On show was a taste of the series which shows the events around Hastings, the moment that changed English history forever. At its heart lies the fraught relationship between Harold Godwinson, England’s last crowned Anglo-Saxon king and William, Duke of Normandy. What begins as an alliance gradually unravels, driven by ambition, fate, and a collision of dynastic imperatives across two realms and a channel in between.

A still from King and Conqueror
Expect gritty battle scenes in King and Conqueror (BBC / CBS Studios)

It traces both men’s personal and political journeys, exploring the emotional and familial dynamics that ultimately culminate in the catastrophic Battle of Hastings in 1066—the moment that irrevocably altered the course of British history.

Visually, this is a visceral drama—no romanticised medieval fantasies here. Expect muddy battlefields, sweat-drenched warriors, clashing swords, and chainmail soaked in the grit of war. Behind the scenes, the production itself has its own drama: James Norton fractured his collarbone after being thrown from a horse but continued filming—his pain even enhancing the realism of battle scenes.

And it’s finally let William the Conqueror conquer the red carpet.

King & Conqueror starts on August 24 2025 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with full availability on iPlayer from 6 am.

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About author

Lydia Starbuck is Editor in Chief at Royal Central and the main producer and presenter of the Royal Central Podcast and Royal Central Extra.Lydia is also a pen name of June Woolerton who is a journalist and writer with over twenty years experience in TV, radio, print and online. Her latest book, A History of British Royal Jubilees, is out now. Her new book, The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr, will be published in March 2024.June is an award winning reporter, producer and editor. She's appeared on outlets including BBC 5 Live, BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Local Radio and has also helped set up a commercial radio station.June is also an accomplished writer with a wide range of material published online and in print. She is the author of two novels, published as e-books. She is also a marriage registrar and ceremony celebrant.