King & Conqueror release date, trailer and latest news
A defining moment in British history is brought to life with a star-studded cast.
It's time for the BBC to release its latest hotly anticipated historical drama – with King & Conqueror set to take us back to the period preceding the Battle of Hastings this Bank Holiday weekend.
The series stars James Norton and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as feuding leaders King Harold II and William the Conqueror respectively, and the former recently explained exclusively to RadioTimes.com how he couldn't believe the story hadn't been adapted for the screen before.
"When this idea came along via our brilliant writer Mike Johnson, the first question was, 'Why has it not been told before?'" Norton said. "And I think his stroke of genius was recognising that it's not about telling the story of the battle itself, it's about the relationship these men had in the lead-up to the battle."
Norton has also explained that the series wasn't just about two men, "but also about two couples" – with key roles in the series for Clémence Poésy and Emily Beecham as the wives of William and Harold, Matilda and Edith.
As for the historical accuracy of the series, historian Dr David Musgrove explained in the most recent issue of Radio Times magazine that although "some elements are pure fiction", the way the drama shows "how Harold and William get to the bloody finale" is "reason enough to watch it."
With the eight-part drama imminently set to make its debut on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, here's everything we know about what to expect from King & Conqueror.
King & Conqueror release date
All eight episodes available to watch as a box set on BBC iPlayer from Sunday 24th August.
The first episode of the series will also be broadcast on BBC One at 9:10pm that evening, followed by the second at 9:30pm on the bank holiday Monday, with the remaining six episodes then airing weekly on Sunday evenings.
King & Conqueror cast: Who stars in the BBC drama?
King & Conqueror features a large ensemble cast, led by Happy Valley's James Norton as Harold Godwinson, Earl of Wessex, and Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William of Normandy.
The series features a number of other familiar faces as real figures from history, including Clémence Poésy (Daryl Dixon) as Matilda of Flanders and Eddie Marsan (The Bombing of Pan Am 103) as Edward the Confessor.
Notably, the series also features The Jetty's Bo Bragason, who could well become a major star in years to come, owing to her casting as the titular princess in Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda live-action film.
Here, she plays another figure from royalty, that being the Scandinavian Queen Gunhild, whose life is the topic of much debate among historians as surviving sources fail to put together a comprehensive picture.
The full King & Conqueror cast list can be found here:
- James Norton as Harold Godwinson
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as William the Conqueror
- Clémence Poésy as Matilda
- Emily Beecham as Edith
- Luther Ford as Tostig
- Ingvar Sigurdsson as Fitzosbern
- Eddie Marsan as King Edward
- Juliet Stevenson as Lady Emma
- Jean-Marc Barr as Henry I of France
- Geoff Bell as Godwin
- Elliot Cowan as Sweyn
- Bo Bragason as Queen Gunhild
- Bjarne Henriksen as Earl Siward
- Oliver Masucci as Baldwin
- Clare Holman as Gytha
- Jason Forbes as Thane Thomas
- Joakim Nätterqvist as Thorolf
- Elander Moore as Morcar
- Indy Lewis as Margaret
- Ines Asserson as Judith
- Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson as Hardrada
- Léo Legrand as Odo
- Þorsteinn Bachmann as Baron of Brittany
- Louise Kim Salter as Agnes
King & Conqueror plot: What is it about?
King & Conqueror is a historical drama set in 11th-century Britain, exploring how future King of England Harold Godwinson and William, Duke of Normandy, came to be such legendary adversaries.
The synopsis, courtesy of the BBC, describes the story as "a clash that defined the future of a country – and a continent – for a thousand years, the roots of which stretch back decades and extend out through a pair of interconnected family dynasties, struggling for power across two countries and a raging sea".
It continues: "Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy were two men destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066; two allies with no design on the English throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown."
King & Conqueror trailer
The BBC dropped its suspenseful King & Conquerer trailer in July – you can watch right here:
King & Conquerer is coming to BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday 24th August.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
