The Palace

The Palace is a British drama television series that aired on ITV in 2008. Produced by Company Pictures for the ITV network, it was created by Tom Grieves and follows a fictional British Royal Family in the aftermath of the death of King James III and the succession of his 24-year-old son, King Richard IV, played by Rupert Evans. It also stars Jane Asher and Zoe Telford. The series was filmed in Lithuania in 2007 and broadcast from 14 January to 3 March 2008. Low viewing figures cancelled it after one series. Plot On the sudden death of King James III, his 24-year-old elder son inherits the throne and becomes Richard IV. Princess Eleanor (Sophie Winkleman), his older sister, wants the throne for herself and resents that it goes to Richard. Her Private Secretary, Major Simon Brooks (David Harewood), helps her try to discredit the new king. Richard's younger brother, Prince George (Sebastian Armesto), is a party-animal, and the youngest sister, Princess Isabelle (Nathalie Lunghi), is an A-Level student. Their mother is the now-widowed Queen Charlotte (Jane Asher). Abigail Thomas (Zoe Telford) is Richard's secretary who plans to write a tell-all book about her life in the Palace. Richard's Private Secretary is Sir Iain Ratalick (Roy Marsden). Other staff featured in the series are Abigail's personal assistant Lucy Bedford (Fiona Button) and the Press Secretary Jonty Roberts (Lorcan Cranitch). Cast Rupert Evans as King Richard IV Jane Asher as Queen Charlotte Sophie Winkleman as Princess Eleanor Sebastian Armesto as Prince George Nathalie Lunghi as Princess Isabelle Roy Marsden as Sir Iain Ratalick Zoe Telford as Abigail Thomas David Harewood as Major Simon Brooks Lorcan Cranitch as Jonty Roberts Hugh Ross as Jeremy Robinson John Ramm as Chief Superintendent Peter Bayfield Fiona Button as Lucy Bedford Shelley Conn as Miranda Hill John Shrapnel as PM Edward Shaw Christine Bottomley as Natalie Clemency Burton-Hill as The Hon. Alice Templeton Anton Lesser as Archbishop of Canterbury John Benfield as Ray Mellor Laura Haddock as Lady Arabella Worthesley Wolsey Dominic Jephcott as Dr Philip Hooper Frank Mills as Jack 'Dobbsy' Dobbs James Thornton as Milton Bishop Harriet Walter as Joanna Woodward Huw Rhys as David Waverley Owain Arthur as Jimmy Clacy Kate O'Flynn as Ruby Riley Russell Bright as Neil Haslam Heather Tobias as Anne Featherstone Amit Shah as Kulvinder 'Vinny' Ganatra as King James III