Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“Maybe some people never get things right. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need them.”
Sweden’s crown prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) and Simon (Omar Rudberg) are an official couple, so they don’t have to sneak around anymore, but their romance in now under magnified public scrutiny, so the young couple face newer challenges in “Young Royals” season three. If you’d remember, season two ended with Wilhelm coming out with an emotional speech at school. His address sends ripples across the royal court, Sweden and also impacts the school. The very fate of Hillerska, the posh boarding school where the story is set, hangs in the balance after Wilhem’s speech inspires students to speak up about problematic “initiation ceremonies” on campus.
Episode one begins with a tense scene of legal negotiations over the leaked video of Wilhelm and Simon, after it’s established that it was August who was behind the entire fiasco. Simon comes to the palace for the first time, and the sequence subtly establishes the class difference between the two teens for the viewers. But the teen lovers are oblivious to this invisible divide, basking in what they believe to be their newfound freedom to express their love for each other on campus.
Tightly paced, episode one sets a fantastic pace for the rest of the season, swiftly exploring what is going on with each of the principal protagonists. Simon’s sister Sara (Frida Argento) has stopped going to school, August (Malte Gårdinger) is faced with acute guilt and remorse over his fallout with Wilhelm, meanwhile Felice (Nikita Uggla) struggles at school after losing best-friend Sara. So the rest of the season explores how each of them come to terms with their problems and conflicts.
Edvin Ryding and Omar Rudberg’s chemistry continues to be impeccable – it’s all about first-love butterflies and desire; Edvin Ryding retains a vulnerable boyish charm as the crown prince Wilhelm, which makes his character easy to root for. Edvin effortlessly portrays all the complex emotions of the young royal who has little say in his own future, and must struggle to snatch some moments of peace and privacy with those he loves.
With their relationship under the limelight, this season of “Young Royals” explores the drastic effects of constant media glare and cyber-bullying on the youngsters. The creators subtly display the toll it takes on Simon, who unlike Wilhelm, isn’t used to the paparazzi or the constant criticism of strangers on social media over his life. For example, Simon’s body-language undergoes a drastic change when he sings in some scenes of this season – he isn’t as confident, glowing or happy while singing, because his self-esteem takes a hit.
Apart from the highs and lows of Wilhelm and Simon’s relationship, I love how the creators put significant focus on demonstrating how friendships are just as important as serious romantic entanglements. “Sometimes, a break-up with your best friend can be worse than breaking up with your partner,” a character says in the series. While August is significantly shaken over his break-up with Sara, Felice is far more devastated over her friendship ending with Sara, and vice versa. Frida Argento’s Sara does a lot of growing up in this season of “Young Royals”, even though her first attempt is to run away from her problems, first by skipping school and then by going away to her father’s place because Simon won’t look her in the eye. So Sara’s fraught relationship with her estranged father is also explored, as the two take a slow path at getting to know each other again.
The cinematography and music of “Young Royals” are a strikingly good cocktail of audio-visual elements, with an energetic soundtrack that consistently maintains the youthful tone of the story. Even though most of the plot in season three takes place indoors, within the palace grounds, at Hillerska’s dorm rooms or classrooms, or at Simon and Sara’s house, the show maintains a vibrant palette and composition that will keep you glued to the screen. And then there are obviously some of the legendary Hillerska parties and events that take place in the story, which give creators ample scope to treat viewers to lavish celebratory scenes.
Episode six, the final chapter of “Young Royals” opens with the chirping of birds, Wilhelm is laying on the lap of his friend Felice, heartbroken, softly sobbing as he talks about taking onus for his problems. The scene is set against a beautiful sunny morning, the friends sitting by a lake, and the scene layout proving creators don’t have to set an emotional scene against a gloomy palette to evoke viewer sympathy. It also speaks volumes of Edvin Ryding’s craft, the actor has steadily evolved with his character.
After leading viewers through an emotional roller-coaster, the finale ends on a surprisingly optimistic note, one that borders on being “too good to be true,” yet it’s a fitting way to bid adieu to our favorite characters. Another heady Hillerska term comes to an end, and a graduation party marks new beginnings for almost everybody from the world of “Young Royals.” It’s been yet another successful season, and I expect this Netflix show to be on “Best YA Romance Series To Watch” lists for years to come.
Stream “Young Royals” on Netflix.
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