Young Royals on Netflix is available for streaming July 1, 2021. Touted as a Swedish coming-of-age series, is it appropriate for tweens and teens? I’m breaking down all of the thematic elements, including its TV-MA rating, in my Young Royals Parents Guide and Review. Here’s what parents need to know to help YOU decide if it’s appropriate for your family. As always, no spoilers!
YOUNG ROYALS on Netflix: Parents Guide + Review
Netflix’s latest coming-of-age series will be sure to intrigue anyone who has an interest in the Royal Family. While the series itself has nothing to do with the Royal Family we know, I found it interesting nonetheless. I found it ironic that our main character is named Prince Wilhelm. However, that is really the only similarity.
There was a lot I liked about Young Royals. The LGBTQ storyline was done exceptionally well. In fact, I’d say this was the main storyline in the series. Wilhelm is struggling with coming out as being gay. After all, it’s not exactly what is expected of a prince. Watching Wilhelm navigate his insecurities all while trying to follow his heart, is something I feel teens will find relatable.
Wilhelm certainly has a lot on his plate. Being a Royal, he doesn’t like his private life to be so out in the open. He doesn’t like the spotlight. Above all, he craves a simple, ordinary life.
Young Royals Brings Mental Health Awareness into the Spotlight
My favorite character, Sarah, has Asperger’s and ADHD. What I love most about Sarah, is she isn’t afraid to be herself. She’s brutally honest, and genuine to the core. In fact, Felice refers to Sarah’s Asperger’s as her “superpower.” Felice envies how Sarah is not afraid to speak the truth and just be herself. There’s no pretending with Sarah.
Of course Sarah still has her own insecurities. She’s used to people thinking she’s weird, and she has a hard time making friends. Together, Felice and Sarah offer one another exactly what the other one needs.
Even though these teenagers all attend a very prestigious school, each and every one is battling their own demons. There’s anxiety, depression, stress, and panic attacks. No one is perfect. Young Royals is an emotional drama, and it’s so important that teens see that everyone struggles. Some might just be better at hiding it.
Let’s Hear it for Diversity
The amount of diversity in Young Royals is amazing. Not only is the cast racially diverse, but they tie in different social classes, and of course the Asperger’s and ADHD storyline. But above all, the recognition of the LGBTQ community and the daily struggles they’re challenged with, is eye opening. Love is love, and it is so important for you to feel comfortable being yourself. YOU matter.
Young Royals Age Recommendation
Netflix’s Young Royals has a TV-MA rating (mature audiences). This means it might not be appropriate for children under 17. While I agree that there is a lot of mature content in Young Royals, I wouldn’t compare it to the level of Ginny and Georgia. I already told you that tweens and teens are going to be drawn to this series…but that doesn’t mean it’s okay for them. As a parent, there’s a few things you need to know about this series. Let’s take a closer look at some of the questionable thematic elements.
Language
Profanity? Check, check, and check some more. There is A LOT of language in Young Royals. Some of the words you’ll here are: H*LL, F*cking, D*ck, Slut, A**, B*tch, Sh*t, D*mn, P*ss, and B*stard. And I’m going to mention the F word again, because there’s a whole lot of throwing that around.
Violence
There’s an initiation process, much of what would be similar to a fraternity, and I found it creepy and rather disturbing. There is also some fighting where pushing and punches are thrown.
Mature Content
There is absolutely mature content in this series. Masturbation, there’s mention of porn, suicide, death of a family member, drug abuse, underage drinking, betrayal, and sex, all have a role in Young Royals. It also tackles how social media can ruin someone’s reputation. There is no denying this series carries a lot of heavy themes.
Age Recommendation
Season One of Young Royals is only six 40 minute episodes. It’s a very quick bingable series. Even with the TV-MA rating, I’m going to say a mature 15 year old could watch this. It really is dependent upon your child, and I would absolutely encourage you to watch it with them. You want to be the person answering any question they might have. Even if they don’t have any questions, there will certainly be some great conversation starters.
Overall Thoughts
While I did enjoy Young Royals, I did find it lacking in some aspects. It seemed a bit slow in parts, and even though it’s only six episodes, it seemed like the characters found themselves in the same sort of conflicts a bit too frequently. I wish it dived a bit deeper.
Young Royals is a Swedish series and the original dialogue is in that language, therefore it has an English voiceover. This makes it a bit difficult, because obviously the words don’t match up to what the character is saying. I understand the need for it, but it’s distracting.
I applaud Young Royals for bringing a LGBTQ storyline into the spotlight. This series really went head-to-head with a lot of issues, and think more of this is needed in our society. We need to make people feel uncomfortable for them to realize this is normal.
You can’t not love a story where the message is to believe in who you really are. You are special and you deserve to be openly you. Teens need to hear this.
Young Royals debuts on Netflix July 1, 2021. Will you be watching?
YOUNG ROYALS SYNOPSIS
When Prince Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) arrives at the prestigious boarding school Hillerska he finally gets an opportunity to explore his true self and find out what kind of life he really wants. Wilhelm starts dreaming of a future filled with freedom and unconditional love far away from the royal obligations – but when he unexpectedly becomes next in line for the throne his dilemma is heightened as he has to make a choice. Love or duty.
My experience is that voiceover turns any series or film is no good. Nuances in the acting disappears. Set your settings in netflix to original language and use English subtitles. This my take some time to get used to but in the long run You will have a much better experience watching non English speaking films and series.
As a Swede I am lucky that I live in a small country where dubbing is used only for childrens content.