Sartaj Singh
‘A Not So Royal Christmas,’ directed by Jonathan Wright, is a tale of whimsical deception leading to a burgeoning romance. We follow tabloid journalist Charlotte as she travels to the castle of a reclusive count in the kingdom of Nordin, Scandinavia. Unbeknownst to her, the count has fled the castle long ago, and the royal family sends their groundskeeper, Adam, to pose as royalty and answer her questions. Adam immediately takes a liking to her and continues to hide his true identity to spend more time with her. They are given royal treatment as they walk the castle grounds and attend a grand ball, slowly falling for each other along the way. The mesmerizing backdrop to their love story may make you wonder where filming for the Hallmark movie took place and if it really exists.
A Not So Royal Christmas Was Filmed in Ontario
Filming for ‘A Not So Royal Christmas’ took place entirely in the province of Ontario. The city of Hamilton portrayed Sorhagen in the fictional Kingdom of Nordin, and a few scenes were lensed at locations in Milton and Toronto. Principal Photographer began in September 2023 and was wrapped up by October 2023. Let us look at the specific sites used to set the scene for the holiday film.
Hamilton, Ontario
The port city of Hamilton was used to film a majority of the movie with scenes being set in multiple locations throughout it. The Castle seen in the film is Dundurn Castle on 610 York Boulevard. Despite being called a castle, the structure is actually a villa built in the 19th Century with neoclassical Italianate architecture. It remains open to the public with tours and includes the Hamilton Military Museum. Both the exterior and interior of the historic building were used as a backdrop for the film to represent the Nordin Palace, where the reclusive count was said to reside.
Wreaths and trees decorated the castle grounds and false snow was laid out, as the film crew transformed the picturesque estate into a magical winter wonderland. Further scenes were lensed at the Springhill Manor at 28 Highway 8, the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Canada at 4 Queen Street South, Village Bakery Dundas at 104 King Street West in Dundas, and the Winchester Arms pub at 120 King Street West in Dundas.
Both, the city’s urban sophistication, and its antique charm are visible throughout Charlotte’s journey, whether she is in the regal estate or a downtown pub. Hamilton’s diverse settings, from the enchanting Royal Botanical Gardens to its historic neighborhoods, evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia, ideal for crafting romantic tales set during the Christmas season. As such several Hallmark Christmas films have been lensed in the city, including, ‘A Christmas Break,’ ‘The Enchanted Christmas Cake,’ ‘Inn Love by Christmas,’ ‘Take Me Back for Christmas,’ and ‘The Christmas Cure.’
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Milton, Ontario
The town of Milton, about 25 miles southwest of Toronto was used to create the Christmas market seen in the film. To build the set, a parking lot was used between Blossom Café by Chudleigh’s and the Knox Presbyterian Church on 176 and 170 Main Street East, respectively. The cast and crew were also spotted on Main Street, from Martin Street to James Street, and 174 Main Street East. Shooting here was carried out between the sixth and thirteenth of October, while all the vehicles involved in the production were parked out in the Milton Fairgrounds opposite the town hall.
Toronto, Ontario
The cosmopolitan metropolis city was involved in the filming of ‘A Not So Royal Christmas,’ particularly in its ballroom dance and party scene. The lively Christmas celebration was shot at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel, using its effortlessly elegant location and banquet hall. The venue is usually used for weddings and receptions, but was utilized by the filmmakers to portray the Yuletide ball at the Nordin Palace representing the height of Christmas festivities and the protagonists’ growing romance.
A Not So Royal Christmas Cast
‘A Not So Royal Christmas’ is headlined by Brooke D’Orsay and Will Kemp, as Charlotte and Adam. Brooke D’Orsay is an experienced, Toronto-born actress, who you may have seen essaying the roles of Deb Dobkins in ‘Drop Dead Diva,’ Kate in ‘Two and a Half Men,’ Paige Collins in ‘Royal Pains,’ and Holly Khun in ‘Miss Christmas.’
Will Kemp is a professional ballet dancer turned actor who broke through into the limelight with his casting in ‘Van Helsing’ as Velkan the werewolf. You may have also seen him star in ‘Reign’ as Henry Stuart, ‘Spinning Out’ as Mitch Saunders, and in ‘Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce’ as Scott. Supporting cast members include Taylor Love as Kirsten, Michael Hough as Jensen, Fuad Ahmed as Advisor, José Arias as Curious Tourist, Maria Frankis as Alice, Roy Lewis as Sir Gustus, and Nathan Scott as Royal Ball Guest.
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