Do Simon and Wilhelm End Up Together In The Young Royals Season 3 Finale?
The beloved Swedish show Young Royals has officially aired its final episode.
Detailing the life of Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) who falls in love with fellow classmate Simon (Omar Rudberg) at their private boarding school, we see the evolution of the young couple. From sex tape scandals to emotional breakups, Simon and Wilhelm always seem to come back to each other. Spoilers ahead.
Through a tumultuous final episode, it seems as though all hope is lost for the two boys. Simon no longer wants to associate with the crown and, with that, he has to give up Wilhelm. The two struggle to move on after their emotional breakup on Wilhelm’s birthday. But they cannot seem to stay away as they are tethered to each other through such an intense and passionate bond. It isn’t until the final five minutes of the episode that viewers can let go of the breath they’ve been holding.
In a grand gesture of love, Wilhelm runs after Simon as he drives away from Hillerska. In a last effort attempt to win him back for good, Wilhelm declares his withdrawal from official royal duties and states that he wants to be with Simon. The two embrace in a tear-filled hug and kiss. It seems as though the young couple will in fact end up together after all.
Though I am glad the two end the series in love, the majority of the final episode was deceptive. The third act breakup trope felt like it wasn’t fully thought out as we barely see Simon in the final episode. The finale fits the tone of the rest of the series with its high stakes and passion, though I would have liked to see more communication between the couple. As a teen drama, it hits the nail on the head with moments of big emotion and passion that is reminiscent of adolescent years, but wasn’t a strong enough episode to stand on its own. If the finale had been released with the entire third season, I think it would have felt a lot more impactful.
It was finally revealed that their elite boarding school Hillerska would be shutting down after the term’s end as well. This creative decision added to the tension and emotion of the final episode as these characters were also at the end of a story. We are given closure as August (Malte Gårdinger) graduates, Sara (Frida Argento) and Felice (Nikita Uggla) mend their friendship and head to New York City, and previously closeted classmate Nils (Samuel Astor) comes out to his friends. Each character has their defining moment this episode that perfectly ended the series.
Young Royals has had immense success given that it is an international title. This series serves as an example of what audiences want from their content — more diverse characters and story lines. Studios and streamers better take note that the expectations from viewers is higher than ever before and they want queer stories at the forefront. I think this is a series that audiences will revisit and be discovered continuously as new generations enter their teen years and serves as a beacon of hope for LGBTQIA+ youth.
All three seasons of Young Royals are streaming on Netflix.
