By Royal Appointment starring Anne Reid & Caroline Quentin to premiere at Theatre Royal Bath and tour

The world premiere of new play By Royal Appointment, based on the late Queen and her dresser, is playing at Theatre Royal Bath in June 2025.

Written by writer and broadcaster Daisy Goodwin (ITV’s Victoria), By Royal Appointment will star British TV royalty Anne Reid (Dinnerladies, Last Tango in Halifax) as Queen Elizabeth II, and Caroline Quentin (Dickensian, Men Behaving Badly, Jack Absolute Flies Again) as her dresser.

Directed by Dominic Dromgoole, the play promises to be a behind the scenes peek into the world of our most popular monarch and the image she presented to the world, exploring the relationship between the monarch and her close confidante, and their collaboration in shaping the public image of the late Queen.

By Royal Appointment is playing at Theatre Royal Bath from 5 to 14 June, before a UK tour that includes Cheltenham, Leeds, Malvern, Southampton and Guildford, with further dates to be announced. (See tour dates here).

The creative team also includes Design by Jonathan Fensom, with further creatives to be announced. The show is produced by Daniel Schumann and Lee Dean (Rebus: A Game Called Malice).

Anne Reid was recently made a CBE in The King’s New Year Honours list.

Coming up at the Theatre Royal Bath is A Man For All Seasons starring Martin Shaw and Gary Wilmot, starting 16 January and then touring; and Doubt A Parable starring Maxine Peake from 7 February.

Ralph Fiennes is also curating a season in Bath this year, starring in David Hare’s play Grace Pervades (27 June to 19 July 2025), also starring Miranda Raison, and directed by Jeremy Herrin; directing Shakespeare’s As You Like It (15 August to 6 September 2025), starring Gloria Obianyo and Harriet Walter; and starring in Oscar-winning writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s new drama Small Hotel (3 to 18 October 2025).

In the West End, Theatre Royal Bath productions of The Score starring Brian Cox (from 20 February) and The Deep Blue Sea starring Tamsin Greig (from 7 May) are both coming to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London.

More about tickets to By Royal Appointment – UK Tour