Hallmark's 'Private Princess Christmas' Was Filmed Far From Colorado's Snowy Slopes
Private Princess Christmas was filmed far from its Colorado setting.
Updated Dec. 6 2024, 12:13 p.m. ET
The Hallmark Channel’s 15th annual Countdown to Christmas is packed with heart-warming movies to get viewers in the holiday spirit. For 2024, the network added 31 new movies to its lineup – including Private Princess Christmas. The movie introduces viewers to Princess Violet "Vi" of Wingravia, who faces the ultimate test of her character and capability to secure her place as heir to the throne.
After a series of public missteps and disappointments, the Queen — Vi’s no-nonsense mother — takes drastic measures to ensure her daughter is ready to lead. Issuing an ultimatum that rocks the royal household, the Queen demands Vi attend a rigorous leadership boot camp in snowy Colorado or risk losing her royal inheritance. Vi's arrival at boot camp is anything but smooth. Under the watchful eye of Captain Ryan Douglas, played by Derek Klena, Vi endures some grueling challenges.
Captain Ryan’s strict approach pushes Vi out of her comfort zone, but she soon finds that there’s more to her relationship with Ryan. As fans enjoy the movie, which premiered on December 6, many are curious about the boot camp Vi attended. Viewers are eager to know where the scenes were filmed and whether the boot camp is real — here’s what we found out.
Where was ‘Private Princess Christmas’ filmed?
Hallmark’s latest holiday film, Private Princess Christmas, takes audiences on a snowy journey as Vi, the protagonist, heads to Colorado for a leadership bootcamp. However, the film’s picturesque winter scenes weren’t captured in Colorado at all. Instead, the production team crossed the border to bring the holiday magic to life in British Columbia, Canada.
According to The Vancouver Sun, Private Princess Christmas is one of 21 Hallmark movies filmed in British Columbia in 2024 — a notable increase from the 10 films shot there in 2023. The province’s scenic landscapes and reliable snowy vistas made it the perfect backdrop for the festive tale.
When are Hallmark movies filmed? Not during Christmas!
Hallmark movies may be synonymous with cozy winter nights, but filming often takes place months before their seasonal premieres. Most Hallmark holiday movies are shot during the summer, with production teams creating snowy landscapes despite the warm temperatures, according to Vancouver Magazine.
In addition to holiday films, Hallmark produces seasonal movies year-round, aligning filming schedules with weather conditions for authenticity. Spring and summer movies are typically shot in real-time, while fall films are often created earlier in the year. Like their annual Countdown to Christmas lineup, Hallmark’s Summer Nights series sees the premiere of a new original movies every Saturday in August.
And while it may seem cheesy to some, fans love Hallmark’s holiday lineup. “Today is the day the Countdown to Christmas starts on the Hallmark network!! Yes, I’m man enough to admit 1) I love Christmas and 2) that I watch Hallmark,” one person tweeted. While another wrote, “Good news!!! The Hallmark countdown to Christmas begins tonight, and I have two bottles of red! Hear me out men, women love it … puts us in the mood.”