Some of the biggest names in TV gathered for the premiere of a much talked about TV show as William the Conqueror made an unlikely red carpet debut.
Stars of the new BBC One drama, which starts on August 24, were in London for the first big showing of this blockbuster telling of the ultimate tussle for the English throne and the seismic events of 1066 that saw William the Conqueror and Harold Godwineson clash at Hastings for the crown.
James Norton, who plays Harold Godwinson and who is also an Executive Producer on the series, led the cast out alongside Emily Beecham who plays Harold’s wife, Edith.
French star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is WIlliam the Conqueror in this version with Clemence Poesy as his wife, Matilda.
Other big names in the TV show include Juliet Stevenson who plays the Lady Emma and Eddie Marsan as King Edward the Confessor whose indecisiveness led in part to the epic battle for the throne of England which still resonates today.
They gathered at the BFI South Bank in London for the premiere, giving William the Conqueror the real star treatment.
On show was a taste of the series which shows the events around Hastings, the moment that changed English history forever. At its heart lies the fraught relationship between Harold Godwinson, England’s last crowned Anglo-Saxon king and William, Duke of Normandy. What begins as an alliance gradually unravels, driven by ambition, fate, and a collision of dynastic imperatives across two realms and a channel in between.
It traces both men’s personal and political journeys, exploring the emotional and familial dynamics that ultimately culminate in the catastrophic Battle of Hastings in 1066—the moment that irrevocably altered the course of British history.
Visually, this is a visceral drama—no romanticised medieval fantasies here. Expect muddy battlefields, sweat-drenched warriors, clashing swords, and chainmail soaked in the grit of war. Behind the scenes, the production itself has its own drama: James Norton fractured his collarbone after being thrown from a horse but continued filming—his pain even enhancing the realism of battle scenes.
And it’s finally let William the Conqueror conquer the red carpet.
King & Conqueror starts on August 24 2025 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with full availability on iPlayer from 6 am.
