Young Royals- The Queen of Love Dramas on Netflix!
By Isabella Smarro, Managing Editor
Love is a powerful thing to feel, so when we as audience members watch it unfold on a TV show or movie, we become very critical of how well it is told.
I’m glad to say that the need to see improvement doesn’t come up when I watch “Young Royals”.
This Netflix original viewed its first episode on July 1st of 2021 and since then has gotten nothing but praise. Directed by Rojda Sekersoz and Erika Calmeyer, its original language is in Swedish but on Netflix, you have the option to hear it in English as well.
The show is about a boy known as Prince Wilhelm, played by Edvin Ryding, who after getting into a fight at a club, is sent to a boarding school to rewrite his name. During his time at Hillerska, he is introduced to Simon, played by Omar Rudberg, and that’s when the heat turns up. Both have feelings for each other but it just can’t happen, well it can without anyone knowing.
The LGBTQ+ community has had its share of false stereotypes portrayed on TV, with straight actors taking their ideas on how gay people act. The problem faced is that every movie about a gay couple is the same, with the characters sending off similar vibes. “Young Royals’ ‘ surprisingly doesn’t, with Edvin and Omar’s affection for each other feeling super real. The show discusses the struggle of coming out and what effects it can have, Edvin’s character is in the process of finding out his own sexuality but has feelings for Simon. On and off-camera, these two young men’s chemistry is contagious. Every time I watch an episode, I am on the edge of my seat…
I remember the first moment these two met. The prince walks into a church to see a group of students singing, he thinks nothing of it until Simon starts doing a wonderful solo. Everyone makes fun of Simon due to being a different race but Prince Wilhelm starts to smile at his performance. With a great addition of background music, the audience gets to experience the makings of a soon-to-be relationship.
Another thing that makes the show so honest and relatable is the actor’s ages. Typically in a TV show or movie about kids, adults portray them. For example, I loved The Amazing Spider-man with Andrew Garfield but he was almost 30 and played a high school student. It was super hard to connect with him, “Young Royals” is different. You see not just the characters but the actors themselves grow up, with acne and voice changes. It makes their lives more relatable to the younger generation it was made for.
A personal liking is the style of clothes each character wears. Simon has my favorite version, for example, he’s from a middle to lower-class family so his clothes aren’t the most expensive but his fashion is fabulous. Simon takes a typical light brown flannel and adds a gray quote shirt-combined it just speaks cute.
The best part about the fashion of each character is that it tells us what each character cares about the most. For Simon, it’s showing that where he comes from isn’t who he is. He desires equal respect from his classmates.
Even though the TV show centers around Simon and Prince Wilhelm, episodes also discuss real-life issues based on other characters. Felice (Nikita Uggla) believes that the only way to be accepted is to marry rich and become royalty. At first, she sounds very stuck up but a deeper meaning takes hold. Felice wants to be desired and seen as more than she is, a typical girl next door vibe.
With all this said, “Young Royals” is a stunning creation that discusses the LGBTQ+ community, misunderstanding and acceptance. With amazing actors, great music and lovely nature scenes, I would gladly give this piece a 10/10.