10 Best TV Shows Like Young Royals

Released in July of 2021, Young Royals has picked up quite a steady following with fans both in the United States and around the world. The Swedish drama series centers on Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, a young prince who finds himself stuck at a prestigious boarding school after a wild night out.

Like all teen shows, Young Royals has no shortage of drama as Wilhelm adjusts to his new life and finds his royal status at odds with who he really wants to be. On top of all that, Wilhelm is also trying to navigate his sexuality. With only six episodes, Young Royals is an easy watch that leaves many viewers yearning for more shows similar in tone and theme.

10 Love, Victor (2020-)

Love, Victor is definitely one of Hulu’s most popular teen drama series, and deservedly so. The series is set in the same universe as Love, Simon, and follows Victor Salazar as he adjusts his new life at Creekwood High and all that it has to offer.

There might not be any royals at Creekwood High, but Love, Victor, and Young Royals have a lot more in common than it might seem. For starters, both leads are navigating their sexualities and the negative effects new romances might have on their parents. They also both find solace in the friends they make at school.

9 The Royals (2015-2018)

The Royals made history as E!’s first-ever scripted series, where it ran for four seasons before its cancellation. The drama series followed the fictional British royal family known as the Henstridges, who was no stranger to family drama and entertaining scandals.

Not only do both these shows center on fictional royal families, but Wilhelm and Prince Liam have a lot in common since they both become the immediate heir to the throne after their older brothers die unexpectedly. They also both have mothers who are obsessed with the royal image.

8 Skam (2015-2017)

The Norwegian teen drama series Skam (“shame” in English) originally ran from 2015 to 2017 and even spawned an American version. The series focused on a new main character every season and regularly dealt with deep real-life issues affecting teenagers.

While international shows don’t always make an impact on American audiences both Young Royals and Skam seemingly have. The third season is most similar to Young Royals because the third season focuses on Isak, a young teenager struggling with his sexuality after he falls in love with another boy.

7 Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001-2015)

Degrassi may be a Canadian teen drama franchise, but it’s had major success in the United States since its inception in the 70s. However, it’s Degrassi: The Next Generation which has been the most successful as it has followed several characters throughout their high school journies over the year.

Like Young Royals, Degrassi never strayed away from tackling deep real-world issues in authentic ways. With over fourteen seasons, there’s bound to be overlap but seasons 10 and on are definitely the most similar in tone and theme with Young Royals. 

6 Genera+ion (2021-)

One of the newest teen drama series of 2021 is HBO Max’s Genera+ion. The series follows a group of high school students who are all trying to survive high school, fall in love, and deal with their varying family situations. Genera+ion sets itself apart from other series by playing with the timeline, regularly jumping forward in time.

While definitely more explicit in nature, Genera+ion and Young Royals do have a lot of overlap when it comes to teenagers exploring their sexualities and love lives.

5 Elite (2018-)

Another Netflix international teen drama series, Elite follows three working-class teenagers who find themselves interacting with the extremely wealthy and privileged teens while attending a prestigious private school. However, things take a turn when in a shocking twist, a student is murdered, leaving the two student bodies at odds.

Like Young Royals, Elite’s action mostly takes place amongst the halls of a prestigious high school. In addition, the three main characters have a lot in common with Simon and Sara, who are both attending the Young Royals boarding schools on scholarship.

4 Skins (2007-2013)

Skins is a British dramedy series that ran for seven seasons and was a major success, becoming a cult classic amongst teen audiences. The series was unique in that the cast changed every two years to match the schooling the characters were going through on the show.

Skins could best be compared to Degrassi, but it also has a lot in common with Young Royals. While no royals attended the school in Bristol, South West England, there were tones of drama similar to that of Young Royals. 

3 Trinkets 2019-2020)

Trinkets is yet another criminally underrated teen dramedy series. The show centers on three teenagers from different walks of life who all find themselves enrolled in the same Shoplifters Anonymous program. The girls eventually become friends and help each other navigate high school and their differing home lives.

Both Young Royals and Trinkets have amazing female characters who forge important and powerful friendships. Like Felice and Sara, Moe, Tabitha, and Elodie come to rely on and support each other through the good times and the bad.

2 Everything Sucks! (2018)

Unfortunately, Everything Sucks! belongs to the esteemed “canceled after one season” Netflix club. The teen dramedy series was set in 1990 and followed the high school AV and drama clubs as they join forces to create an epic movie that will help them become more popular in school.

Like Young Royals, Everything Sucks! really nails the awkwardness of high school. Kate and Wilhelm also have a lot in common in that they’re both dealing with their own sexuality while being pursued by someone who would be “easier” for them to be with.

1 Gossip Girl (2021-)

Gossip Girl was a massive success when it first aired in the early 2000s and now it has been revived by HBO Max with a brand new set of characters. The series still takes place in a prestigious New York private school but with a whole new group of characters, there’s even more drama than before.

The obvious similarities between Gossip Girl and Young Royals are the prestigious high school settings. There are also a handful of characters who are there on “scholarship,” making them the clear outcast from the rest of the wealthy cast. And of course, there are characters who are exploring their sexualities.

About The Author

Danielle Bruncati
(297 Articles Published)

Danielle Bruncati was born and raised in Southern California and has been a story-teller for as long as she can remember. She is currently a freelance writer for ScreenRant and is also pursuing a Master’s Degree in Television Writing and Producing from a top 10 film school. When she’s not writing, Danielle can be found binging the latest sitcom or teen tv series with her dog by her side or walking around Disneyland with a Mickey-shaped snack in hand.

More From Danielle Bruncati