I'd be lying if I said I've watched the show “Young Royals” just once. I honestly have probably binged it two or three times through as I am in love with the action and drama of this Swedish teenage romance.
Simon Eriksson (Omar Rudberg), and the Prince of Sweden, Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding), are a perfect example of two main characters with incredible love and support for each other despite their vastly different upbringings. Simon, along with his sister Sara (Frida Argento), hails from the small Swedish town of Bjärstad where they are raised by their single mother with both Latin American and Swedish roots. In contrast, Prince Wilhelm comes from royalty. The two men meet at a boarding school in Sweden called Hillerska, and their connection blossoms into a secret romance. While these two come from different backgrounds, they never fail to communicate with each other.
Another core theme of the show is the value of family, which resonates with me as a family-oriented person. “Young Royals” highlights the importance of family and the necessity to protect it. During season three, as Simon and Wilhelm are in a secret relationship, they face problems resulting from photos posted of the two together at a school event on social media. This causes distress to Prince Wilhelm and the Royal Family as the media begins to question the relationship. On the other hand, Simon is struggling to see the issue and is doubting the relationship because he does not want their love to be a secret.
We also see characters' relationships with extended family members. At Hillerska, all of the students are required to join a club or sports team — the two most talked about being horseback riding and rowing. Early on in the show, Prince Wilhelm joins the rowing team at Hillerska due to the influence of his distant cousin August (Malte Gårdinger). Simon joins the rowing team shortly after, making his relationship with Wilhelm that much stronger.
I personally am not a rower. The last time I attempted to row, I flipped the boat. But as a collegiate athlete (I play softball), sports are a big part of my life, and weaving sports into this show really drew me to it.
“Young Royals” also portrays the importance of friendship, mainly through Simon and Wilhelm’s interactions with Felice Ehrencrona (Nikita Uggla). Felice and Wilhem often sit on the lawn of Hillerska talking about relationships, both platonic and romantic. We also see scenes of Simon and Felice talking about similar subjects regarding relationships, which is an important inclusion in the story to me.
As a huge music nerd, I commend their music choice in the show. The show's soundtrack features rap, retro and contemporary pop and Swedish classical music. The musical variety in the show appeals to many different audiences, which I believe is crucial for television. It takes into account that viewers won't share the same taste in music and offers something for everyone.
With this Swedish romance-drama’s focus on friendship, familial bonds and cross-cultural communication, it's easy to see why this show has resonated with viewers around the world.
