With tense music and a young man they call a prince, but who is beaten like a beggar, the first season of “Young Highnesses” begins, a Swedish series that has two seasons and 12 episodes on Netflix.
A teenage member of the Swedish nobility seeks to live his life like another, but his status as a “blue blood” forces him to please his parents and “subjects” far above their needs and opinions. To “analyze” his latest actions, he enters the prestigious Hillerska Institute and, although at first he did not agree with the punishment, throughout production he realizes that it is an “opportunity to explore his true self and discover what type of life he really wants ”, reads part of the SensaCine synopsis.
Wilhelm is second in line of succession. Despite this, he must keep his manners and live under the shadow of what they will say, so he refrains from doing what other boys his age do.
He always dreamed of a future full of love and freedom, far from real obligations. But one fact changes everything and he must choose between love and duty.
The production
This European series is directed by Erika Calmeyer and Rojda Sekersöz, script by Lisa Ambjörn, Sofie Forsman and Tove Forsman and produced by Lars Beckung.
Edvin Ryding carries on his shoulders the responsibility of being Wilhelm of Sweden, who is also known as “Wille”. Omar Rudberg as Simon Eriksson, a non-resident student and Sara’s brother who is gay and who becomes Wilhelm’s romantic interest.
We will see Malte Gårdinger as August from Årnäs, Wilhelm’s second cousin, third-year student, prefect and captain of the rowing team; and Frida Argento will get under the skin of Sara Eriksson, a non-resident student and Simón’s sister.
The story also narrates how students begin to experiment with alcohol, their first sexual encounters, Asperger syndrome, attention deficit, discrimination and classism.
The first season hit the Netflix screen on July 1, 2021, while the second batch of episodes arrived on September 22 of last year.