This article contains spoilers for “Young Royals.”
Concluding the hit queer teen series, the finale of Netflix’s “Young Royals” released March 18 with a tear-jerking, joyfully heartwarming ending sure to go down as a fan favorite.
In the show’s final moments, the Swedish Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) and his outgoing classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg) embrace while the viewers watch a collage of flashbacks to romantic scenes between the characters in past seasons. This ending is particularly effective considering the show’s initial release in 2021: Long-time viewers watched Wilhelm shift from shy, impulsive, messy and closeted to brave, thoughtful, proud and out to the world.
Witnessing the development of our two main characters as they confront one other and themselves with clarity and sophistication proves the core tension of this show. Though at times I found myself angrily yelling at the screen as one or the other made a decision I felt was immature or wrong, in retrospect, I appreciate the imperfection of these characters. “Young Royals” skillfully pushes the theme that good people can make mistakes and can later decide to change their minds for the better — more broadly, we are not trapped in the errors of our past.
Ryding and Rudberg do an excellent job of portraying the complex nuances of two characters from wildly different backgrounds falling madly in love. Wilhelm finds himself questioning everything he knows about himself and the world around him, particularly the role and importance of the crown in his and others’ lives. Wilhelm realizes that the pain and constraints of his predetermined future are not worth losing Simon, who himself determines that his love should not hurt this much and that he needs to make a change.
These competing notions lead to the finale I’ve come to love: Wilhelm chasing after Simon’s car, professing his new freedom and desire to stay together. For a moment, it truly seemed like the show would end on a sad note, so I was shocked and genuinely overjoyed to see the shift in plot and an ending with Wilhelm and Simon driving away singing in the car.
The cinematography and music score similarly elevate the quality of the show. These factors shine in one particular scene featuring Wilhelm and Simon swimming near a lake shore. This scene includes nearly no dialogue, emphasizing the actors’ performances, the music — which is truly heart-wrenching — and the camera work as a whole. The golden-hour sun envelops the boys with a glow reflected in the sparkling water. One can’t help but remember a very similar scene from the formative queer film “Call Me By Your Name” and praise the beautiful homage.
I must stress, however, that the show is not without flaws. At times, the show’s American dance music feels all too overdone and out of place. This theme of conflicting energies is consistent, especially considering Wilhelm’s presence in the Swedish royal family. The main flaws, however, revolve around the character August (Malte Gårdinger), Wilhelm’s older cousin and a senior in the elite private high school both Wilhelm and Simon attend.
In the previous season, August leaked a video of Wilhelm and Simon together in Wilhelm’s room, exposing a very private, confrontational moment and outing Wilhelm to the public. The show ends with an attempt to forgive August and show his transformation — unfortunately, I do not think it is deserved. August does not demonstrate much of a change in personality, perspective or understanding of his place. Instead, he fails to “get the girl” and is hated enough, rightly so, that I suppose we were meant to feel bad for him. While forgiveness is a very valuable facet of human life, August persistently complains about his situation and remains in constant denial despite his privilege and real lack of consequences. I would say the show majorly misses the mark in this thematic department.
Despite this major flaw, the season was a wonderful experience to watch. I’m sad to see the show go, but the three seasons were very well done, and I encourage you to give it a watch.
