Charles II: The Power and The Passion

Charles II: The Power and the Passion is a four-part television miniseries, broadcast on BBC One from 16 November to 7 December 2003. The series depicts the reign of Charles II, covering the period just before his Restoration in 1660. It focuses on his conflicts with Parliament, his relationships with his mistresses—particularly Barbara Villiers—and his efforts to restore England after the Civil War. When shown in the United States, as The Last King: The Power and the Passion of King Charles II, nearly an hour was removed for broadcast by the A&E Network. The edits often make little regard for either the full product's continuity or coherence.

Cast

Rufus Sewell

Charles II

Rupert Graves

George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham

Charlie Creed-Miles

James, Duke of York

Christian Coulson

James, Duke of Monmouth

Shirley Henderson

Catharine of Braganza

Martin Freeman

Lord Shaftesbury

Helen McCrory

Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine