Clue: Leading couples in Palace cite fine, crusading, imperial area (7,3)
Answer: PACIFIC RIM
Explanation: Leading couples in Palace cite fine, crusading, imperial area (7,3)
"leading couples of" **PA**lace **CI**te **FI**ne **CR**usading **Im**perial" 
*"Area" is a weak definition, but the wordplay makes the answer obvious.