Children have long been fascinated by all things royal. They’re delighted by dressing up as princesses or acting out epic broomstick battles of knights and kings, making pillow forts, holding court, basically using their imaginations to the fullest. And when it comes to birthday parties, sleepovers, and other events, there are countless fun royalty party themes you can create together.

In the following article, we’ve listed some of the best royalty party themes we could find and mentioned some helpful advice on how to make your event one to remember. These suggestions fit a variety of budgets and will appeal to both boys and girls (and adults). We’ve also included some ideas for games and events to help keep the kids entertained.

1. Princess for a Day

What little girl hasn’t dreamed of being “Princess for a Day” on their birthday? To really make this theme a hit, decorate your home or yard with some royal-looking drapery and try to find fancy cups, plates, and table settings from any party store. You’ll also want to get your hands on a beautiful, ornate crown for the princess to wear on her special day. YouTube might be able to help with this, as there are countless tutorials on how to craft a marvelous headpiece from very basic materials.

Take it up a notch by contacting the parents of the attending children and encouraging them to find similar princess, prince, and knight outfits. Everyone should feel equally noble.

Hold a coronation ceremony where kids can all present the new princess with gifts, and then, once she has donned her crown, she can begin opening them and offering her heartfelt thanks to her attendees.

As you might expect, this type of theme can be accompanied by all sorts of activities and games to keep the children entertained. For example, coloring and decorating printed sheets can become a beautiful reminder of an exceptional celebration. Just be sure to keep the little princess the center of attention, so she can truly feel like it’s a day just for her.

2. The King’s Coronation

For every little girl that wants to be “Princess for a Day”, there is a little boy that would love to be king of his very own kingdom. To bring this theme to life, the approach is similar to that for a princess party. Perhaps have the decorations match the king’s favorite color and make him feel like a real ruler by letting him choose the games, events, and food for his coronation.

As with the Princess for a Day idea, you’ll want to have a portion of the party dedicated to “crowning” the new king. You can find impressive-looking crowns for both boys and girls from most party stores, as well as plastic goblets, trinkets, and other “medieval” accouterments. Just be creative, and the kids will be creative as well!

A few ideas to try out: “The search for the golden chalice” (perhaps a coffee cup), where those invited look for this ancient artifact and everyone is rewarded at the end; Medieval games: teams competing in obstacle courses, 3-legged walking, different feats like jumping rope or running a distance, and so on; having attendees sit at a party table like the Knights of the Round Table, where they read from premade messages about glorious fights, dragons, or treasure, and imagine heroic stories.

3. The Belle of the Ball

An entire royal dance dedicated to their birthday? Any girl would jump at the opportunity.

It can be pretty straightforward: get some royal party ornaments from your local party store and pick out a variety of tunes to which all the attending children can dance. Make sure there’s a good mix, so they don’t get bored.

This theme can also be combined with games like Musical Chairs. To put a royal spin on the game, play some music and tell the kids that when it stops, they must stand as still as a statue. Have your prince or princess (or an adult) walk around the room and try to spot anyone moving or laughing. It’s a great way to have a fun “ball” when the kids aren’t quite ready to dance with each other yet.

4. The Castle Builders

There are online companies like Kid Eco that sell cardboard playhouses and castles. A wonderful idea for a royal party would be for you and the children to put together and decorate the castle that will house your king, queen, prince, or princess. While the parents might want to do the majority of the setting up, kids will love the chance to draw on the walls and brighten it up to their hearts’ content.

Once the castle is complete and painted as the children see fit, you have a brand new centerpiece for your royal party. If you have any ideas for games or events, like crowning the birthday boy or girl with all the pomp and glitz of a real royal event, this is the perfect place to do it. Though it won’t last forever, the mansion can always be disassembled and played with time and time again.

5. The Royal Tea Party

A Royal Tea Party is a delightful concept for a children’s party (but can work for teens and adults alike). You can create an elegant and regal atmosphere by revamping the party area with colorful balloons, flowers, and fancy table settings. Send out invitations asking for guests to arrive in their best outfits, such as dresses and suits, to match the theme. One of the parents should take on the role of host and serve tea and delicious snacks, such as mini sandwiches, scones, and cupcakes, on beautiful platters and tea sets.

Make it even more special by adding some unique touches to the party favors. Consider providing each child with their own miniature tea set or a tiara to take home as a party favor. You can also incorporate some interactive elements into the party by teaching the children how to make their own tea blends or hosting a tea-tasting contest. With a Royal Tea Party theme, children can feel like they’re attending a grand event while enjoying the company of their friends.

Additionally, you can include fun activities, such as a game of “Pin the Crown on the Princess” or a tea party etiquette lesson. This theme encourages children to use their imagination and helps them learn about manners and social skills.

6. Sweet 16 Princess Party

Appealing to the sensibilities of a 16-year-old girl is no easy task — just ask any parent. However, if there’s one event a girl of this age can genuinely enjoy, it’s her Sweet 16 party (or Quinceanera for those of Latina heritage). This “coming of age” party is traditionally themed, and adding a royal flavor will make the young lady feel truly special.

An idea of the menu for such an elegant and sophisticated event might incorporate a variety of upscale appetizers and desserts, such as gourmet chocolates and macarons, alongside a beautiful birthday cake fit for a queen. The dress code can be formal or semi-formal, though in general, it’s best to follow the theme.

Fun activities to think about:

• Photo booth with royal props – Set up a photo booth with a backdrop that matches the royal theme, such as a castle or a throne. Provide props like crowns, tiaras, scepters, and capes, so the guests can dress up and take fun photos together.

• Karaoke contest – Set up a karaoke machine and let the guests sing their favorite songs with a royal twist. The winner can be crowned “Karaoke Royalty”.

• A grand dance competition – Set up a dance floor and play popular music with a royal twist, such as modern covers of classical music or remixes of royal-inspired songs. Guests participate in a dance competition, where the winner receives the accolade like “Champion” or “Queen” of the dance floor.

Remember to ask the young lady what she would like to do beforehand. Doing this not only takes the pressure off of you, but also gives her a sense of involvement in her party. It may not be a kingdom, but it’s a start!

7. The Royal Treasure Hunt

If you have a big yard or a lot of children, a Royal Treasure Hunt is a great way to keep the kids entertained for the duration of the party. As always, you’ll want to make sure the setting and other aspects of the get-together are in line with a royal theme, and you’ll also want to design the items in the treasure hunt to fit as well.

There’s no set way to do this hunt, but there are a few different ideas that can be employed depending on the age and attention spans of the children involved.

The “Easter Egg” Hunt

In this version of the game, you would hide decorative bags of candies and other goodies all over your yard, house, play area, etc. Send the kids off to track down as many as they can and present them before the king, queen, princess, or prince. Once all the bags are accounted for, the ruler can hand them out to each child, so they can enjoy whatever’s hidden within.

The Scavenger Hunt

Here, you would create a list of Royal-themed items that your attendees need to recover. In this case, it works best if the children split off into teams. The first team to come back with a complete list wins the game. A stuffed lion can represent a royal animal, pebbles or buttons can stand for jewels, gold-wrapped chocolate coins or jewel-shaped gummies could be considered royal treats, and so on.

While the previous version works for kids of younger ages, the scavenger hunt version of this game is fun for everyone, from grade-schoolers to adults.

8. The Royal Garden Party

Here is an example where adults are encouraged to get in on the fun. A Royal Garden Party is a savvy, sophisticated event that you can apply to all manner of occasions, from housewarmings to baptisms to anniversaries. There are many ways to go about throwing such an event, and it depends a lot on what lengths the party hosts want to go.

In many cases, merely encouraging friends to show up and enjoy some beverages and snacks while dressed in their royal best is enough to have a successful garden party. Hosts who genuinely want to take their garden party seriously can consider fixing the entire area with medieval fare, hiring caterers to wait on attendees, and having each guest choose a name and character to play throughout the event.

For younger guests, there are many classic garden games to keep them occupied, like giant Jenga or tic-tac-toe, horseshoe, hide and seek, hopscotch, the possibilities are endless.

9. The Royal Tournament

In medieval times, kings and queens often celebrated birthdays, marriages, and other big events with tournaments intended to entertain royal guests. With a surprisingly minimal investment, you and your family can do the same! Tournaments are suitable for all ages, from children up to teens and even adults. Below, we’ll give you some tournament ideas for all three categories.

Tournament Ideas for Kids

• Jousting or fighting with pool noodles or other soft “weapons.”
• A timed obstacle course with tunnels, limbo sections, and tests of strength.
• Pinata “battles” to see who can defeat the candy dragon.
• Frisbee toss games with baskets at different distances and point values.
• A melee tag or dodge ball game.
• A bean bag toss to knock down enemy knights (2-liter bottles and cans with printed “invaders”)

Tournament Ideas for Teens and Adults

• A Royal Scavenger Hunt in which the players must remain in character while searching around the neighborhood.
• Frisbee golf tournament around the yard or park
• Relay races, sack races, and wheelbarrow races
• A melee tag or dodge ball game
• A water balloon toss
• Flip Cup (with or without adult beverages)

10. Building the Kingdom

This is a craft-based royalty party theme designed for children of all ages. If you have a small budget to buy supplies from the craft store and access to a printer, you can create an endless array of products for the kids to play with. Below, we’ve listed just a few ideas. You’re welcome to do just one or two, or spend the entire day having your party attendees construct their kingdom.

The Royal Crest

Print out some basic shield outlines and have the kids draw their very own family crest. If you want to be even more creative, get some basic balsa wood shields from a craft store and have them paint their emblem and take it home with them. Kids will love sketching dragons and other mythological beasts.

If you think they’ll find drawing or painting boring, you can also print different shapes to simply be glued on.

The Suit of Armor

Have each child design their own “suit of armor” out of old clothes. Using t-shirts, sweatpants, and sweatshirts, help the kids paint scales and metal plates onto their “armor” so they can look their best for the duration of the party.

If you have access to items like extra towels, you can also help them create capes to complete the look. Alternatively, you can use paper plates and string to create helmets.

The Map of the Kingdom

If you have any artistic talent (or know someone who does), you can get a large piece of display paper or cardboard and have the kids take turns describing their “kingdom” to you. Start with the castle in the center, and move from blank spot to blank spot, filling in the map.

From deep valleys inhabited by goat people to high mountains haunted by dragons, there’s no telling what they’ll come up with when they get going. After you have the Kingdom all laid out, encourage the kids to play a number of games as if they were in that land. It’s a fun way to spend an afternoon and lets kids use their imagination.

11. The Royal Feast

Nothing says “royalty” like a long table covered end to end with fabulous foods and endless mugs of delicious royal brew. Of course, depending on the age group of your attendees, you’ll have to decide if Root Beer or fresh juice is more appropriate.

For this party theme, you’ll want to put out long tables, just like in the stories of lavish feasts, and reserve the center for the guest or guests of honor. Since you’ll want to ensure you have a lot of types of food to represent the theme authentically, pick ones that can be easily held and eaten without utensils. It can work well to have a potluck or even a southern-style pig pickin’. Other options could include turkey legs, roasted vegetables, and bread rolls served on wooden platters, while desserts like cupcakes, cake pops, and fruit skewers can be served on royal-themed cake stands. You can also present mocktail drinks in goblets to make it more fun and feel royal.

Dances have always been popular at these types of events, and they are fun for everyone. A storyteller to tell medieval tales or a magician performing tricks will keep the kids engaged.

12. The Royal Crown Party

Sure, everybody loves to be the center of attention, but wouldn’t it be more fun if everyone got to be a Princess for a day? This theme is perfect for younger girls, especially when early childhood is often a “princess phase”. For this theme, you’re going to have each princess design their own crowns, necklaces, and other jewels.

First, you need to visit your local party store to check out their supplies. If you can’t find anything to serve as a suitable crown, search for a printable shape, along with a bunch of gems, jewels, and diamonds that the girls can paste on the frames. You might also be able to find charm necklaces and bracelets that girls can use to make other jewelry – use your imagination!

Invite them to come over in their prettiest princess dresses, and announce that you’re going to have them design their very own crown and jewelry. At the end of the party, photograph each girl wearing their best princess getup and give them a copy or printout so that they can show it to their friends and parents.

13. The Fairytale Wedding

A fairytale wedding party is a dreamy and romantic way to celebrate love and commitment. Even more, it can be great for an anniversary or vow renewal, regardless of age.

The setting needs a fabulous ambiance, and if you want to recreate the traditional style, use soft, pastel colors like lavender, pink, and blue. Decorate the space with fairy lights (Christmas lights work too), flowers, and twinkling stars. You can also incorporate elements like vintage books, lace, and crystals to add an elegant and timeless touch to the decor.

To thank the guests for attending, give them a small goody bag filled with fairytale-themed items like mini princess dolls, candy, or dress-up accessories such as tiaras, wands, and crowns. Alternatively, you could provide them with a unique and personalized favor, such as a photo frame or candle.

14. The Other Type of Royalty

It’s natural to think of medieval times when considering a royal-themed event, but what about modern-day royalty?

Those who have watched and enjoyed the weddings of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle or Prince William and Kate Middleton know that there is a wealth of English royal traditions that you can draw upon for party themes. While they might not be as fun as enjoying a little creative anachronism, your guests will find it much easier to dress up (and much easier to use the accent).

Some ideas for modern royal themes include Royal Weddings for anniversaries and vow renewals, or Royal Garden Parties and Tea Parties for get-togethers, birthdays, and other events. You can ask guests to participate in a variety of different ways, from bringing traditional English snacks and pastries to observing any of the many odd traditions that accompany real Royal Weddings.

15. Celebrating the Arrival of the Prince or Princess

A Christening, Bris, First Communion, or the introduction of a new baby can be the perfect opportunity to have a royal-themed party. You can choose to honor ancient or modern traditions, and there are endless ways to decorate and get your family and friends involved.

The theme you select for your royal party can dictate how your guests should dress. You can have your child seated at the head of a long table to accept gifts while being adorned in a crown or draped in purple fabric, depending on the era you’ve decided. This idea can make it easier for guests to shower your child with affection and attention. There are many creative ways to make your royal-themed event a memorable and special occasion for everyone involved.

Many party stores carry plates, napkins, and other party favors decorated with prince and princess themes, so this is not a theme that has to cost much money. Best of all, you’ll have lots of photos with which to embarrass your child when they get older.

16. The Great Knight’s Quest

If you have a young boy celebrating a birthday, there are many ways that you can incorporate a royal theme into his celebration. One excellent idea is to form a Knight’s Quest in which he and his friends can participate. Depending on your level of creativity, you can devise all the challenges yourself or merely look to see what ideas are available online.

Themes like this work best when you have other parents to help and a fun environment in which to play. Using some basic woodworking and costuming skills, you can create moats to cross, knights to fight, and challenges to overcome. From riddles and games to feats of strength and memory, you can keep your child and his friends entertained for hours with a little ingenuity.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are dozens of royalty party themes to choose from when designing your next event. These types of themes are not only perfect for playing dress up, but they automatically lend themselves to hundreds of unique games, activities, and projects. No matter which of the ideas on this list you decide on, just remember to have fun, be careful, and remember your accent!