Young Royals - Ending Explained

"Young Royals" is a story of liberation disguised as a teen romance. The central plot revolves around Prince Wilhelm falling for his classmate Simon, a relationship that is exposed when his cousin August leaks an intimate video of them. This act of betrayal is the catalyst for the entire series' conflict. Wilhelm, under pressure from his mother, the Queen, publicly denies it is him in the video at the end of Season 1, creating a deep wound with Simon. The hidden meaning here is that Wilhelm's first test of loyalty is between the Crown and his heart, and he initially chooses the Crown, a decision he spends the rest of the series trying to undo.

The death of his brother Erik in Season 1 is the story's inciting incident, forcing Wilhelm into the role of Crown Prince and dramatically raising the stakes. A key revelation in Season 3 is that Erik, whom Wilhelm idolized, was involved in homophobic hazing rituals. This discovery shatters Wilhelm's idealized image of his brother and makes him question the very foundation of the institution he is set to inherit. It becomes clear that the monarchy's traditions are inherently toxic and that Erik, too, was a product of its oppressive nature.

Sara's arc is also pivotal. Her decision to conceal August's crime in exchange for social inclusion and a relationship with him is a major betrayal of her brother. Her eventual confession to the police in Season 3 is a crucial turning point, forcing a legal and personal reckoning for August and demonstrating Sara's return to her core values.

The series finale provides the ultimate payoff. After Simon breaks up with him, stating he cannot live under the constraints of the Royal Court, Wilhelm finally understands that he cannot have both Simon and the throne without destroying one of them. He informs his parents he is abdicating. The final scene sees him confessing this to Simon, making it clear the choice was for his own freedom. They reunite, finally on equal terms, and drive away from Hillerska. The hidden meaning of this ending is that Wilhelm's journey was never just about being with Simon; it was about dismantling his own internalized oppression and choosing an authentic life. His abdication is not a sacrifice but a victory over the institution that caused him so much pain.

While the ending is widely seen as a happy and liberating triumph of love, some interpretations view it with a more cynical or bittersweet lens. One perspective is that Wilhelm's abdication, while romantic, is an idealistic and perhaps naive solution to a complex systemic problem. It could be argued that by stepping away, he abandons the opportunity to reform the monarchy from within, leaving the institution in the hands of the more traditional and morally ambiguous August. This reading suggests that his personal happiness comes at the cost of his potential public influence.

Another interpretation focuses on the immense and perhaps unfair burden placed on Simon. Some viewers argue that Simon is repeatedly forced to endure public scrutiny, threats, and emotional turmoil due to his relationship with Wilhelm. From this viewpoint, the ending might not be a simple fairytale. Instead, it marks the beginning of a different set of challenges, as Wilhelm, having only ever known a life of immense privilege, must now adjust to a 'normal' life, a transition that could bring its own set of strains to their relationship away from the structured environment of Hillerska.