By: Kat Harlton
All Media Courtesy of Crown Media United States LLC
Merritt Patterson (“The Royals,” “The Christmas Cottage”) and Andrew Cooper (“Royal Hearts,” “Damnation,” “The Way”) star, along with Brittany Bristow (“Love on Safari”), in “Christmas at the Palace” a new, original movie premiering Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22, (8 p.m. ET/PT) on Hallmark Channel as part of the network’s #1-rated programming event, Countdown To Christmas.
About The Movie:
Choreographer Katie (Patterson) and ice-skating sensation Jessica (Bristow) go to San Senova for their final show before opening their own training center. Enchanted by the tiny country, founded on Christmas Eve, Katie and Jessica stroll through the open-air market, where Katie bumps into Alexander (Cooper) practicing a speech. Unaware he’s the King, Katie asks if he’s “hiding from Christmas,” since Alexander clearly lacks holiday spirit. Though he has been labeled “The Grinch King,” Alexander is a great father to his 10-year old, Christina (India Fowler, “Romans”), who idolizes Katie and Jessica, and is a fine skater herself. In fact, she asks her father if the palace can host a Founder’s Day pageant.
Ready to do anything for Christina, Alexander summons Katie and Jessica for help and he’s just as surprised to discover who Katie is, as she is to learn he’s the King. While creating the pageant and infusing Christmas joy into the palace, Katie and Alexander fall for one another and Christina grows close to Katie, who encourages the shy princess to overcome her fear and skate in the pageant. But when Jessica is injured, Katie might have to heed her own advice and stop hiding behind her choreographer’s role. At stake, too, is both her heart and Alexander’s, neither of which has been open for far too long.
“Christmas at the Palace” is A Brad Krevoy Television Production. Brad Krevoy, Amanda Phillips Atkins, and Eric Jarboe, Amy Krell, Jimmy Townsend and Linda L. Miller are executive producers and Vince Balzano serves as the associate producer. Peter Hewitt directs from a screenplay by Joie Botkin.