Fan Opinion: The top 5 moments of Young Royals Season 1

As we continue through our Young Royals Palooza in the lead-up to the release of season 2, we wanted to include fan voices in our coverage of this beloved show. If you’re a Young Royals fan, and you’re on stan Twitter, chances are you know who @archiveyroyals is! That’s right folks, your very own Best of Young Royals account is here to share their thoughts with you on their favorite moments of season 1.

Take it away, @archiveyroyals!

Young Royals is undoubtedly one of the most praised and loved queer series around. The binge-worthy Scandinavian teen drama follows the story of Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (Edvin Ryding) adjusting to his new life after being sent to Hillerska, a private boarding school, where he meets Simon (Omar Rudberg), an individual who lands him in a difficult situation: follow his heart or fulfill his duty to the Crown. He can’t have both. 

 What distinguishes Young Royals season 1 from other male queer-centered shows is that while the romance is clearly at the heart of the story, this show also delivers incredible writing, flawless production, stunning cinematography, and on-point casting that showcases young actors, and not 30-year-old people pretending to be teenagers (a rarity on Netflix these days, are we right?).

If you love Young Royals as much as we do, you are probably aware of just how dedicated this cast is to this show. Edvin Ryding and Omar Rudberg’s chemistry spills off-screen as well, and they enjoy a beautiful friendship that they sometimes share with fans. 

In honor of the second season premiering in a few days, we listed five of the most memorable scenes that fans enjoyed in the first season (warning: there are obvious sexytime scenes we can not add and you know why 😉)

1×04: The football field 

Fun Fact: it’s widely known now that Edvin Ryding improvised this entire scene, delivering one of the best lines in the series, in our opinion.

“None of the people are real. They are just pieces of metal. But I really like you and that is very real.”

Wilhelm says this not too long after the death of his brother Erik (Ivar Forsling). He is invited to join The Society, and one night during his initiation into the secret club, Wilhelm drinks way too much and takes a bunch of drugs to drown his sorrows (don’t do this kids, drugs are bad, okay). He ends up alone on the football field and calls Simon, because Simon is the one person Wilhelm is able to find comfort in. 

Wilhelm is one of the most complex characters in the whole show, and this scene highlights his complexities very well. Ryding’s outstanding performance, enhanced by a perfect selection of music and impactful cinematography here manages to move fans in a remarkable way. All of these factors are why this is one of the fandom’s favorite scenes of season 1.

1×02: Wilmon’s first kiss

Wilhelm and Simon’s first kiss happens pretty quickly in season 1, however, the build-up to the moment is so fierce that it feels like it takes forever to grace our screens. For the entire duration of 1×02, viewers watch on anxiously: will they, or won’t they? Will they, or won’t they? As the end of 1×02 quickly approaches, fans get what they’d been waiting for: THEY KISS! 

It’s the weekend and Hillerska is hosting a movie night. Simon and Sara (Frida Argento) head back to school to join their peers. Simon and Wilhelm sit next to each other on the floor for the film, because of course they do, and the tension between them becomes too much for them to bare. There is an attempt at hand-holding and a moment of panic from the Crown Prince before he gets up and leaves the room. Simon follows him, and the rest is history!

A sensitive and endearing (and so relatable) kiss is shared in an empty hall after watching a movie in school.

1×05: Felice and Sara dump August

 “What a ****ing douchebag!”

Sara, feeling guilty over keeping the secret from her friend, tells Felice (Nikita Uggla) that her boyfriend August (Malte Gårdinger) kissed her in the stables one day while Felice was elsewhere. It’s the right thing to do, and Felice’s response is even more perfect. 

The two of them make an Instagram post spilling the tea to all that follow Felice about what August did, and she publicly dumps him over social media. Boy, bye! We firmly believe that season 1 did not show enough of these two besties as they grew into their friendship. However, we are really happy that we got this scene. Funny, and relatable, and it definitely showcases the kind of friendship that they’re settling into. A season 1 winning moment for sure. 

1×05: The morning after

In episode 1×04, after Simon goes to the football field to collect Wilhelm, he takes Wilhelm back to his room to sober up. Simon stays the night with him there to make sure he is okay, but the two of them wake up in the wee hours of the morning and sexytime shenanigans ensue. 

Afterward, they go back to sleep and awake again sometime later. The morning-after scene, which takes place at the beginning of 1×05 in season 1 is one of the most beautifully shot scenes in all of the six episodes. Fans have still not recovered from this moment, and we are more than a year on from the show’s initial release. 

The softness and comfort of this scene are simply top-tier. Here we get a closer look at how deeply Wilhelm cares for Simon. The warmer tones, the sun shining into his room, and the way the scene is put together really serve to emphasize this point. 

Is it on repeat? You bet it is!

1×01: Wilmon hides at the party

This scene is definitely up there on the list of scenes from season 1 that made the fandom fall in love with this couple. Fun fact: this scene was also completely improvised by Edvin Ryding and Omar Rudberg. The talent of these two is off the charts!

The party is in full swing and Wilhelm asks Simon if he wants to go outside with him and get some air. Simon agrees. They’re outside hanging out together when August and some of the other boys come out looking for him. Wilhelm doesn’t want them to find him, so he pulls Simon out of sight and attempts to keep him quiet.

The sexual tension here is palpable. We stared at the television wide-eyed wondering if this was going to be the moment! Alas, it was not. However, it’s cute and funny and simple, but it marks the start of a deep and complex relationship that we couldn’t turn away from.

We’re sure everyone out there has their own favorite moments from season 1. Is your missing from this list? Drop us a line and let us know yours! 

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Young Royals Season 1 is available to stream on Netflix, and Season 2 will be released on Nov 1. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all queer stuff!