The 2008 period drama, The Duchess, featuring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes, is now available for free streaming on .

Directed by Saul Dibb, the film is an adaptation of Amanda Foreman's 1998 book, Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, which delves into the life of the late 18th-century English aristocrat, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire.

For those unfamiliar with the historical context, Georgiana was a distant relative of , being the elder sister of Diana's great, great, great grandfather, George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer.

Knightley takes on the role of Georgiana, bringing to life the complex dynamics of her marriage, relationships, and passions in the 18th-century aristocracy.

Ralph Fiennes, known for his role in , plays Georgiana's husband, William Cavendish, the 5th Duke of Devonshire.

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The film doesn't shy away from explicit scenes, including full frontal nudity and a particularly bold corset-ripping scene.

Joining Knightley and Fiennes in the cast are Hayley Atwell, Charlotte Rampling, Dominic Cooper, Aidan McArdle, Simon McBurney, and Sebastian Applewhite.

The Duchess received favourable reviews from critics and proved successful at the box office, earning $43.3 million against a budget of $13.5 million.

The film's excellence in costume design was recognised at the 81st Academy Awards, where it won the award for Best Costume Design and was nominated for Best Art Direction.

Audiences have taken to Rotten Tomatoes to share their thoughts on the film, with one viewer stating: "Hands Keira Knightley another plum leading role and serves as yet another example of how Ralph Fiennes' brooding brand of acting can be successfully employed for all manner of characters."

Another fan wrote: "The film's real scene-stealer is Fiennes... Despite playing a cad of few words, he manages to elicit both hatred and sympathy from the audience in equal amounts."

One person noted: "Knightley shines, taking Georgiana from carefree teen to ignored wife then motherhood in a hugely sensitive and honest portrayal.

"The outfits are stunning, their scale extraordinary, the attention to detail first class; with fashions changing as she does."

A fifth viewer gushed: "This is meant to be Ms Knightley's film, and in many ways it is. She is in every frame, looks dazzling throughout, and must act with something behind the eyes because in two of her scenes... I welled up rather seriously."

While another added: "The Duchess is one of the best and most opulently entertaining historical dramas I have seen in a long time, and it features splendid performances from Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes."

The Duchess is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer