Pay TV company Sky’s drama-documentary series “The Royal Mob,” directed by Fraser McDonald, is shooting in Lithuania. The show tells the saga of an extended royal family that once ruled large parts of Europe, and how their loves, marriages and feuds triggered World War I, Film New Europe reports.
It’s a story told through the eyes of British monarch Queen Victoria’s four favorite granddaughters, the Hesse sisters, each of whom married into one of Europe’s most powerful royal courts. “The series will combine premium scripted drama with a host of expert historians to tell the tale of one of the most compelling, powerful yet dysfunctional families in history,” Sky said in a statement when the show was announced in May.
The shoot, which runs from July 4-30, is serviced by Baltic Film Services, and benefits from the Lithuanian Film Centre’s tax incentive scheme. The shoot took place in Vilnius and the surrounding area, including Trakų Vokė, Užutrakis and Pažaislis, as well as Rundale Palace in Latvia.
“Lithuania is the ideal country in which to bring this epic story to life,” showrunner Tom Stubberfield said in a statement. “Its wealth of historical buildings provides stunning authenticity inside and out, and gives the series the quintessential historical look it requires. Lithuania really is the perfect place for this project, and we’re delighted to be filming here.”
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Jamie Brittain and Abigail Wilson wrote the script, and the main role of Queen Victoria is played by British actress Michele Dotrice.
“The Royal Mob” is a coproduction between A+E Networks U.K., Sky and Nutopia. Ben Goold and Jane Root are executive producers. Kate Bullions is line producer.
The series will be broadcast on Sky History channel in November 2022.
It is one of six factual shows announced by Sky in May. The others were “The Assassination of Olof Palme,” “The Essex Murders,” “Libby Are You Home Yet?,” “Arctic From Above with Liz Bonnin” and “Italia 90.”
This article is published in partnership with online news service Film New Europe, which covers film and TV industry news from across Central and Eastern Europe.