The Royal Film Performance is a trademarked event owned by The Film and Television Charity, formerly known as the Cinema & Television Benevolent Fund CTBF (from 1964 to 2017) and previously the Cinematograph Trade Benevolent Fund (from its inception in 1924).Film and TV Charity: Our history The event showcases a major film premiere and is attended by members of the British royal family. The proceeds from the event help the charity to offer financial support to people from the film, TV and cinema industries.
The event began in 1946, as the Royal Command Film Performance, with a screening of A Matter of Life and Death. The charity first received Royal Patronage in 1936, and so the idea of a Royal screening was born. The original date of the first event was 18 October 1939 and it was to be called the Royal Cine-Variety Performance, but it was postponed due to the outbreak of World War II.
The "Royal Command" name was changed from 1949, to Royal Film Performance, on the basis that the choice of film was that of the CTBF rather than the Royal Family. There was no performance between 2015 and 2019 while the CTBF was reformed as The Film and Television Charity. There was no event in 2020 or 2021 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The most recent Royal Film Performance was the global premiere of Ridley Scott's Gladiator II at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on 13 November 2024. The event was attended by King Charles III. Queen Camilla planned to attend with the King but ultimately cancelled due to a chest infection.
History of events Number Date Title VenueAttendees7213 November 2024 Gladiator IIOdeon Luxe Leicester SquareCharles III 7119 May 2022 Top Gun: MaverickOdeon Luxe Leicester SquarePrince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge70 4 December 2019 1917Odeon Luxe Leicester SquareCharles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall69 26 October 2015 SpectreRoyal Albert HallPrince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry68 17 February 2015 The Second Best Exotic Marigold HotelOdeon Leicester SquareCharles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall67 5 December 2013 Mandela: Long Walk to FreedomOdeon Leicester SquarePrince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge66 12 December 2012 The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyOdeon Leicester SquarePrince William, Duke of Cambridge6528 November 2011 HugoOdeon Leicester SquareCharles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall64 30 November 2010 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn TreaderOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh6324 November 2009 The Lovely BonesOdeon Leicester SquareCharles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall6217 November 2008 A Bunch of AmateursOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh61 19 February 2008 The Other Boleyn GirlOdeon Leicester SquareCharles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall60 14 November 2006 Casino RoyaleOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh59 7 December 2005 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the WardrobeRoyal Albert HallCharles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall588 November 2004 Ladies in LavenderOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II5717 November 2003 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldCharles, Prince of Wales56 18 November 2002 Die Another DayRoyal Albert HallElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh55 2001 AliCharles, Prince of Wales54 2000 How the Grinch Stole ChristmasElizabeth II53 14 July 1999 Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom MenaceOdeon Leicester SquareCharles, Prince of Wales52 1998 The Parent TrapElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh51 1997 TitanicCharles, Prince of Wales50 1996 True Blue49 1995 French Kiss48 1994 Miracle on 34th StreetOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II47 1993 The Man Without a Face46 1992 Chaplin45 1991 Hot Shots!44 1990 Always43 1989 Madame SousatzkaQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon42 1988 Empire of the Sun41 1987 84 Charing Cross RoadQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales40 1986 White Nights39 1985 A Passage to IndiaQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Charles, Prince of Wales, Diana, Princess of Wales and Princess Anne38 1984 The DresserElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh37 1983 Table for Five36 1982 Evil Under the SunElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh35 1981 Chariots of FireQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon3417 March 1980 Kramer vs. KramerOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh33 1979 California SuiteQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon32 1978 Close Encounters of the Third Kind31 30 March 1977 Silver StreakOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Princess Alexandra30 24 March 1976 The Slipper and the RoseOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Alexandra29 17 March 1975 Funny LadyOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II28 25 March 1974 The Three MusketeersOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother27 26 March 1973 Lost HorizonOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II 26 27 March 1972 Mary, Queen of ScotsOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon25 8 March 1971 Love StoryOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Prince William of Gloucester 24 23 February 1970 Anne of the Thousand DaysOdeon Leicester Square23 24 February 1969 The Prime of Miss Jean BrodieOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, Princess Alexandra and Prince Michael of Kent22 4 March 1968 Romeo and JulietOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Charles, Prince of Wales21 27 February 1967 The Taming of the ShrewOdeon Leicester SquarePrincess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon20 14 March 1966 Born Free (second feature: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree)Odeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Katharine, Duchess of Kent19 15 February 1965 Lord JimOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon and Prince William of Gloucester 18 24 February 1964 Move Over, DarlingOdeon Leicester SquarePrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh17 18 March 1963 Sammy Going SouthOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, Princess Alexandra and Angus Ogilvy16 26 February 1962 West Side StoryOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II15 20 February 1961 The Facts of LifeOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon and Antony Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon14 28 March 1960 The Last Angry ManOdeon Leicester SquarePrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra13 2 February 1959 The Horse's MouthEmpire, Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret12 4 November 1957 Les GirlsOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Alexandra 11 29 October 1956 The Battle of the River PlateEmpire, Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Princess Margaret and Louis Mountbatten, Earl Mountbatten of Burma1031 October 1955 To Catch a ThiefOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh915 November 1954 Beau BrummellEmpire, Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret826 October 1953 Rob RoyOdeon Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret727 October 1952 Because You're MineEmpire, Leicester SquareElizabeth II, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Margaret65 November 1951 Where No Vultures FlyOdeon Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret530 October 1950 The MudlarkEmpire, Leicester SquareGeorge VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret 417 November 1949 The Forsyte SagaOdeon Marble ArchGeorge VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret329 November 1948 Scott of the AntarcticEmpire, Leicester SquareQueen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh2 25 November 1947 The Bishop's WifeOdeon Leicester SquareGeorge VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Queen Ingrid of Denmark and King Michael I of Romania1 1 November 1946 A Matter of Life and Death Empire, Leicester SquareGeorge VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret
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