[5] During World War II, Princess Maria and her uncle Holman, exiles from their (unnamed) conquered European country, live in New York City.

Holman hopes that his niece will marry and produce a male heir as soon as possible, but she is not interested in his preferred choice, Count Peter de Chandome, or the other candidates that he has suggested.

To Maria's surprise and joy, he permits the marriage, and Eddie is stunned to learn that his poor European refugee is actually royalty.

Given a crash course in royal protocol by a representative of the State Department, Eddie becomes increasingly uncomfortable with the conditions attached to the role of prince consort and being financially supported by his wife, with no career other than fathering an heir.

[17] According to Ben Mankiewicz’s introduction to the 24 November 2019 airing of the picture on TCM, the production was given limited access to film at the White House, courtesy of President Roosevelt.

[Note 3][18] Cummings often was unavailable, as he was simultaneously working on Between Us Girls at Universal Studios, forcing de Havilland to at times deliver lines to a stand-in.

[20] De Havilland fought openly with Warner Bros.[21] Tired and suffering from low blood pressure, the formerly steady and hard-working actress began reporting late for work, leaving the set abruptly and going home when her frustrations became too much.

[22] She would eventually file a lawsuit against the studio in a landmark case that resulted in passage of legislation known as the de Havilland Law (California Labor Code Section 2855), that set a seven-calendar-year limit on studio-player contracts.

[26] The composer Arthur Schwartz and lyricists Edward "Yip" Harburg and Ira Gershwin, who had earlier written the featured song, "Honorable Moon" (1941), donated the money they received from Warner Bros. to the United China Relief organization.

[15] While in post-production, the wartime Bureau of Motion Pictures (BMP) screened a copy of Princess O'Rourke and strenuously objected to the film.

"[28] Poynter was particularly upset about the "ridiculous" caricatures of Red Cross workers, European nobility, the Secret Service, and even the President (described as a "busybody").

The famously rigorous Bosley Crowther of The New York Times was captivated by the film,[30] by a story that he thought could only be possible in America, and that "... it happens with such spirit and humor that you'll be bound to concede it might be.

Credit for general sparkle and excellence of the picture must be tossed to Norman Krasna, who handled the writing and directing responsibilities.

[31] The film marked a turning point in Jane Wyman's career, as she was given the opportunity to display her comedic talents, sparring capably with her foil, Jack Carson.

[32][Note 6] More recent reviews, however, have been far more critical, with Leonard Maltin, noting in a one-paragraph review on TCM.com, "[The] very dated comedy starts charmingly with pilot Cummings falling in love with Princess de Havilland, bogs down in no longer timely situations, unbearably coy finale involving (supposedly) F.D.R.

"[34] Film historian Thomas G. Aylesworth stated, "[the] supporting cast of real professionals probably saved the movie.

"[35] Film historians such as Roger Fristoe, retired film critic for the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky, have noted similarities to the later, more highly regarded romantic comedy Roman Holiday (1953), directed and produced by William Wyler, starring Gregory Peck as a reporter and Audrey Hepburn as a royal princess out to see Rome on her own.

"[41] Krasna said the film was among his favorites of his own [written] works, the others being The Devil and Miss Jones, Mr and Mrs Smith, Bachelor Mother and My Geisha.

[42] Filmink wrote the movie "features the quintessential “Robert Cummings part” – he plays a flyer, an amiable guy, up against a big female star in a romantic comedy, with strong support players around him.