Take away the crown, the throne, the jewels and the lavish palace - what do you get? A chaotic family. At least, that’s what film and television usually say, as theyoften stray from the classic fairytales. Indeed, over the years, stories of royal families have gripped audiences with their political intrigue and ostentatious living, but what really stands out is their messy internal dynamics. From controlling parents to bickering siblings, their drama produces highly compelling narratives that are both dynamic and relatable.
The only thing that separates normal people from these royals is the crown on their heads, which is what typically makes their drama so much more heightened as the stakes of their conflict are completely amplified. The current second season ofHouse of the Dragondefinitely serves as proof of this phenomenon as we continue to see the major rippling effects of familial division.These are the most dysfunctional and chaotic fictional families, and while their dynamic is compelling, hardly anyone would want to be part of their clan.
10Princess Fiona’s Family
‘Shrek 2’ (2004)
The secondShrekmovie might be the best. Cursed in her youth to transform into an ogre every night, Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) lived a life of solitude as her parents whisked her away in a dragon-guarded tower to await a Prince who may save her with true love’s kiss. Indeed, it’s safe to say that by forcing their daughter to spend her early years in complete imprisonment, King Harold (John Cleese) and Queen Lillian (Dame Julie Andrews) don’t exactly win Parents of the Year. This only proved more true upon their tension-filled reunion, as both were shocked to see Fiona’s ogre form, but more importantly, her new ogre husband.
But where Queen Lillian quickly overcame her initial reservations, King Harold did not waver in his disapproval. In fact, after being strong-armed by the Fairy Godmother (Jennifer Saunders), who accused him of betraying their children’s secret marriage pact, Harold hired an assassin to murder Shrek so that Prince Charming (Rupert Everett) could take his place as Fiona’s husband. Unlike most dysfunctional fictional clans,this family has a complete redemption arc, as Harold succumbs to his guilt and refuses to take away any more of his daughter’s free will; he even throws himself into a blast of magic to protect Shrek from harm. In the end, all goes well as Fiona’s parents wholeheartedly accept their union and even position them as the new heirs to the throne.
9Queen Charlotte’s family
‘Queen Charlotte’ (2022)
For a woman who loves to meddle in drama and the relationships of the ton, it was rather surprising to see howthe fearsome Queen Charlotte(Golda Rosheuvel) was relatively blasé towards her actual children before being faced with a royal succession crisis. When interacting with her children, Charlotte often seemed cold and emotionally distant, struggling to comfort her grieving son while sassily calling out the others' shortcomings. In return, her children retaliated by exclaiming their struggles and resentment towards her apparent cruelty.
That said, when reviewing their story,the dysfunction seems to be a product of unfortunate circumstances. Charlotte’s duty as King George’s wife took precedence above anything else. Her life was devoted to securing his legacy and ensuring his struggles were never in vain. In doing so, she may have prevented herself from being the adoring mother she could’ve been. Nevertheless, Charlotte does seem to try in her own way. Indeed, a softer maternal side is seen not only when she talks to her son about love being a choice but also when congratulating another son about his growing family. Perhaps the new seasons ofBridgertonwill explore this complex family once more.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
8Almost all of Storybrooke
‘Once Upon a Time’ (2011-2018)
Fun fact. Everyone in this image is related! Oh, the wonderful messiness ofOnce Upon a Time, the show where family trees are more of an entangled forest. Almost every individual family on the show is dysfunctional, but with Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) seemingly connecting them all, it only seemed appropriate to acknowledge them as a group, whether that be the Charmings, the Mills, or the Rumplestiltskins (all of whom are de-facto royalty).
The gold-hearted heroes and the wickedly evil villains share blood, love, and endless amounts of betrayal. Abandonment is a key theme in this show, with parents often leaving their children for reasons that range from heroic sacrifice to ambitions of power and revenge. Ironically, this approach setsOnce Upon a Time’s characters on a redemptionpath, as they often fight to strengthen familial bonds, so at least there is a little bit of levity. That said, it did get to a point where almost every antagonist was revealed to be a secret relative, only confirminghow messy this magical royal family really is.
Once Upon A Time
Watch on Disney+
7The Henstridges
‘The Royals’ (2015-2018)
BeforeThe Crown, there wasThe Royals, although they don’t share any categorical similarities. Asa fictional take on the British royal family, the Henstridges are far from what fans realistically see in modern-day royalty. From dramatic murder plots to extreme sexual promiscuity,the Henstridges turn heads like no other royal clan, especially since much of the drama is concocted between one another.
Indeed, with a scheming usurper uncle, a Prince who wants to take down his newly resurrected older brother, and the Queen and Princess sharing a lover, dysfunctional and unorthodox do not seem like good enough words to describe this family. That said,The Royals' messy, trashy, scandalous nature cannot be surprising given that it was E!’s first-ever scripted program; after all, the network is known for highlighting dysfunctional families.
Watch on Amazon
6The Odinsons
The Marvel Cinematic Universe
From the get-go, let’s make it clear thatOdin (Sir Anthony Hopkins) was the real problem in his family. First, he stole a child for political purposes, only to pin him up against his other son, who was brought up to think he was better than anyone else. This upbringing sewed the seeds of what fans now recognize as theMCU’s most complex love-hate brotherly relationship, Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston). It’s filled with complicated resentment and backstabbing, yet ultimate respect.
Let’s not forget how Odin raised his daughter, Hela (Cate Blanchett), as a personal weapon of war while seeking to build Asgard’s powerful empire, only to banish her when he grew ashamed of his actions. To make matters worse, he actively erased her existence from the world and his other children, once again igniting a new flame of sibling in-fighting and resentment, something fans cannot really blame them for. Indeed, the only silver lining to the Odinsons' dynamics is the beauty of Thor and Loki’s journey of reconciliation. It’s just unfortunate that Odin never really witnessed much of it.
Thor: Ragnarok
5The Valois
‘Reign’ (2013-2017)
Like allgreat works of historical fiction, the representation of the royal family is always extremely dramatized. In the case of France’s House of Valois, life might’ve been stranger than fiction. A debaucherous mad King is kept on the throne, while the family’s calculating matriarch, the iconic Queen Catherine (Megan Follows), takes pride in meddling with the personal and political lives of her kingdom and, more specifically, her children.
Indeed, the children are no better as they go on to battle many outsiders while also fighting among themselves. Brothers are often against brothers, as seen with Bash (Torrance Coombs) and Francis (Toby Regbo) fighting for Mary’s (Adelaide Kane) love, as well as Charles (Spencer MacPherson) and Henry (Nick Slater) literally fighting for the crown. Then there are the sisters who regularly disagree with the family about their autonomy and the power they are able to wield in the world. Between all the betrayal, secret murder plots, and miraculous reconciliations,the House of Valois truly resembles a yo-yo.
‘Succession’ (2018-2023)
One could argue that the Roys are media royalty. And there’s no denying thatSuccessionintroduced audiences to one ofthe most emotionally taxing familiesever to be seen on screen. Led by the ruthless patriarch, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the Roys cower at his hand as they clamor to become his corporate successor while navigating the traumas they experienced by being his child.
Indeed,the Roys are a messy bunch with extremely clashing personalitiesthat could make anyone in the room feel uncomfortable. Much like the melodrama of a Shakespearean play, there is heartbreak, backstabbing, and a whole lot of tension as they all strive for power. From Kendall’s (Jeremy Strong) desperation to prove himself as “the eldest boy,” to Roman (Kieran Culkin) and his crudely brash ways, to Shiv (Sarah Snook) with her moral ambiguity and Connor (Alan Ruck) with his inferiority complex — the Roy siblings rarely work together as a well-oiled machine. In fact, the only commonality is how they are forever connected by their shared daddy issues and their aspirations to prove their worth to him.
Succession
3The Fire Nation Royal Family
‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ (2005-2008)
Central to this family’s dysfunctional dynamics is the toxicity of its patriarch, Lord Ozai (Mark Hamill). Fueled by his relentless pursuit of power, Ozai’s parenting became an extension of his conquest desires as he fostered an environment of competition, neglect, and emotional manipulation. From obviously favoring Azula (Grey Griffin) for her strength and cunning nature to banishing Zuko (Dante Basco) for speaking out against war tactics, both children were essentially blinded by their desperation to maintain and receive their father’s love and approval.
Indeed, their abuse was emotional and physical, resulting in the two almost always going against one another, eventually leading up to their final Agni Kai. It’s tragic to see how their traumas manifested into different responses. Zuko at least had his Uncle Iroh to show him how familial love can be warm and everlasting. Unfortunately, Azula was kept isolated, trapped with her demons, which ultimately led her to a psychological breakdown. Hopefully, the live-action Netflix adaptation does this complex relationship justice.
Avatar: The Last Airbender
2The Lannisters
‘Game of Thrones’ (2011-2019)
Having weaved themselves into the inner circle of the Iron Throne,the Lannisters made their markas one of television’s most hated families— well, perhaps not all the Lannisters. Cunning, bold, and incredibly intelligent, the core few were masterful manipulators able to always secure their positions on top of the social food chain. However, among themselves, there was always a clear division, much of which was predicated by the biases of the family’s formidable patriarch, Tywin (Charles Dance).
Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), the youngest child, was always thrown to the outskirts by his father and sister, discriminated against for being born a dwarf and subsequently blamed for his mother’s death. He was even falsely charged with the murder of his nephew, the horrible King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson), which ultimately led to him murdering Tywin himself. Let’s not forget Tyrion’s siblings, Cersei (Lena Headey) and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), committed horrible deeds for the so-called sake of love they shared, the scandalous twincest affair. As if this family couldn’t get any messier.
Game Of Thrones
Watch on MAX
1The Targaryens
‘House of the Dragon’ (2022-Present)
In trueGame of Thronesfashion, no family is ever blessed with a smooth sailing-life. Often, there is always sibling rivalry, deep betrayal, and even some incestuous loving. However, unlike the messiness of the Lannisters,the Targaryens take the cakefor the most dysfunctional royal family, astheir in-fighting essentially plunged their realm into a massive civil warthat forever altered the history of Westeros.
Sibling against sibling, a son for a son, Team Black against Team Green — divisions are clearly evident inHouse of the Dragonas the Iron Throne is thrust into violent contention. Poor Viserys (Paddy Considine), the Peaceful King, left a legacy not of love and healing but one that lit the flame for outright war. And now, with the new season gracing the screens, one cannot help but wonder what boundaries will be crossed as each team clamors to get their chosen Queen or King onto the throne. To think some things could have been avoided if people stopped naming every son Aegon.
House of the Dragon
Next:The Targaryen Family Tree From Aegon the Conquerer to Jon Snow
