Why Young Royals Is Ending With Season 3 (Was It Cancelled?)

The teen drama Young Royals is set to end with its third and final season, despite becoming a success almost overnight among Netflix’s non-English TV shows – here’s the reason behind its conclusion. Set primarily in the fictional, affluent boarding school of Hillerska, Young Royals follows the tumultuous romance between the heir to the throne Wilhelm (Edvin Ryding) and fellow student Simon (Omar Rudberg), whose presence at Hillerska is made possible only through a scholarship. Their very different upbringing and lives play a part in the problems the two face, along with the interference from Wilhelm’s second cousin, August (Malte Gårdinger).

Young Royals quickly became a success, with season 1 jumping to Netflix’s Global Top 10 of non-English TV shows in the week after its release, being watched for 9.8 million hours. Young Royals season 2 doubled season 1’s figures, debuting third on the same list and occupying the eighth position for another week, being watched for 25 million hours cumulatively in those two weeks. Having garnered a loyal following, Young Royals’ renewal for a third and final season shocked many, considering its success. However, the reasons behind its end are less unhappy than other TV shows coming to a conclusion.

Young Royals Wasn’t Cancelled

Unlike many other LGBTQ+ TV shows being axed, Young Royals wasn’t canceled. In a statement to Netflix at the time of Young Royals season 3’s announcement, co-creator and head writer Lisa Ambjörn revealed she always imagined Young Royals’ story being told in three parts, making the teen drama one of the exceptions in the panorama of LGBTQ+ TV shows ending. Ambjörn also used the statement to thank the fans’ dedication to the story, giving their support the credit for letting them “finish this saga as intended.”

Young Royals Creator Lisa Ambjörn Intended To Make A 3-Season Series

In an Instagram post, Ambjörn also added that one thing she knew in 2019 when she first started thinking about the story was “how it was all gonna end.” This sets Young Royals apart from other TV shows, whose cancellation didn’t give them a chance to finish the story as the creators intended. With season 1 focusing on Wilhelm and Simon falling for each other, season 2 handling the aftermath of August’s actions against them, and season 3 having them openly date each other, Young Royals managed to tell its story in three separate acts as it was always intended.

Why Not Getting Young Royals Season 4 Is Still Disappointing

Young Royals season 3 finishing the story the way Ambjörn always envisioned it for the teen drama makes its ending marginally less sad. Indeed, the show will not only manage not to end on a cliffhanger like other shows unexpectedly canceled before their time did but also end in the way and following the schedule that always planned to satisfyingly conclude its story. Still, considering how Young Royals put at the front and center a fan-favorite LGBTQ+ couple and never shied away from exploring difficult themes, not getting a Young Royals season 4 is nonetheless disappointing.

GLAAD’s 2023 Where We Are On TV report highlighted how TV shows’ cancellations in 2023 disproportionately affected stories with LGBTQ+ characters as protagonists, with 24% of all LGBTQ+ characters counted in their report not returning to the screens the following year. Despite Young Royals not suffering a cancellation, not returning for a season 4 guarantees a nuanced, diverse and LGBTQ+-centric story, praised by audiences and critics alike, won’t continue, even if it managed to end as it set out to do. With fewer new LGBTQ+-inclusive TV shows, Young Royals’ conclusion thus contributes to the upsetting trend of less LGBTQ+ representation.

Sources: Netflix, GLAAD