The Royals – Seek for Thy Noble Father in the Dust

By starrymag | April 1, 2018

By: Luke Joseph

 

 

 

The Prince and His Plan

 

It’s not an official new season until Liam (William Moseley) tackles someone to the ground. This is exactly what happens when he enters Robert’s study and charges at him. Punch after punch delivered until he’s greeted to the fact that’s not his brother at all, but a doppelganger that Cyrus (Jake Maskall) brought in to test the young prince. “Today’s lesson, play your hidden ace when all the chips are on the table. Until then we tell no one,” Cyrus orders. Considering this is Liam he’s talking to, does he listen? Nope. Instead he finally pays a visit to Jasper (Tom Austen) and divulges his plan on how he’ going to expose Robert (Max Brown) to not only his family but the entire world. Maybe it took being shot for Jasper to be a bit more cautious, but he advises Liam not to go through with this. “Maybe there is another way to make him step down quietly,” Jasper begins, but is interrupted because Liam just isn’t having it. No, he doesn’t want to do quiet he wants everyone to see the psychopath that his brother truly is. Again, Jasper tries to reason with Liam warning him that you can’t come back from something like this. It’s ironic because these are the exact words that Ted Pryce said in the Season Two finale when Liam pulled on him at the King’s cup. The conversation is interrupted by Eleanor (Alexandra Park) who takes Liam off to the side and demands he spend quality time with his family.

 

The King and His Contenders 

 

Nothing screams romance like having a whole team of people from the palace trailing behind you as you try and get to know your likely future wife and queen. That’s how it was for King Robert as he strode around the palace grounds with possible contenders. Unfortunately, some seemed to be scared off as soon as the “hired” press surrounded the women. Luckily, Cassandra (Emily Barber) doesn’t scare easily. In fact, she matches wit with the King and they seem to naturally click. When it comes time to test herself against the press she has them eating from the palm of her hand, which is enough for Robert to tell Willow they found a contender.

 

The Princess and Her Heart

 

Our favorite princess seems to have cooped herself in the hospital and is taking over Jasper’s room, literally. He wakes up to dozens of letters scattered on top of his and his bed. They’re letters from commoners explaining how fate has been cruel to them and why they need help. Looks like Eleanor is taking on another project using her ‘title’ to deliver some good. Though Jasper is more than happy to have her back, he’s still hesitant considering he had confessed at the conference that there was a girl somewhere in England who has captured his heart. With her being there 24/7 he’s worried the press might catch on, but Eleanor devises a plan. “There are so many people who need fairy tale ending Jasper and I happen to be a princess, so I can help them,” she notes. This will allow her to not only stay with Jasper but to help those in need as well. It’s a win-win or as Eleanor says good-good.

 

Inspiration strikes when Eleanor encounters a patient and a fan by the name of Becky (Ally Adams) who, because of a blood disease, isn’t getting the chance to live a normal life as a teenager. Becky explains to Eleanor how she’s bummed out because the doctors won’t allow her to attend the school dance, which means she misses out on the chance of sharing a dance with Devon (Joshua Shea) who is her crush. Determined to make her dream come true and because she is “the princess,” Eleanor decides if Becky can’t go to the party then she will bring the party and Devon to her.

 

The Pryce You Pay on a Road to Darkness

 

Liam has never been good at keeping things subtle and that’s confirmed when he encounters Robert and practically sings out how he’s going to expose his brother. However, Robert doesn’t even bat an eye he even looks amused and reminds his brother even if he did have something on him no one would believe him because Liam looks as if he’s gone mad.

 

Mad is the best way of putting it as Liam interrupts a conversation between Willow (Genevieve Gaunt), Robert and Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley) who is speaking about Cassandra who the press has described as cold and calculating – ironically matching the description of Helena when she had first been seen with Simon. Liam seems so sure of himself even apologizing to his mother that she must witness how evil her eldest son is. He reveals how Robert had been paying Ted Pryce. “You paid Ted Pryce to kill dad. You killed the king so you could be the king,” he shouts. “Admit it we all know you’re lying.” So that’s it, right? Robert has been caught and now Liam has won? Wrong. Robert actually admits that he had been paying Ted Pryce only it wasn’t to kill the king. It was because of the trouble Ted had to go through with losing his wife. Robert had been sending money because he felt guilty for what Ted and Ophelia had to go through. What’s worse is Helena quickly takes Robert’s side saying how she and even their father knew about this. Things get violent when Liam draws a gun out and points it at his brother, noting “you’re thick as thieves” now and even accusing his mother considering he hasn’t forgotten about her dark past. “You always have been lying, cheating and putting yourselves first. This is where it stops. This is where it all ends,” he yells and with that wild look in his eyes nothing good can come from this. But, it doesn’t end the way Liam expected. In fact, he doesn’t have time to pull the trigger because he’s being clocked in the head with a vase thanks to Eleanor who has just entered the room. Sorry Len! It looks like family time will have to be put on hold indefinitely. “He lost his way before anyone could save him. Before he could save himself, it was too late. I’m sure there were nights or days when maybe just a moment when things were too far gone, when the person he had become desperate to wake from the nightmare and find himself safe, sound and home.” This comes from James Hill (Rocky Marshall) who reminds Liam that once upon a time Ted Pryce was a good man, but darkness consumed him until it killed him. Hopefully, this is a wakeup call for the young Prince because no one wants to see the same fate happen to him especially with someone who was once full of light and pure.

 

 

The King and Good Fortune

 

After that ordeal, Robert is confronted by his mother even though she was quick to take his side she still remains cautious. “I need you to look me in the eye and tell me that your brother is misguided. I want you to tell me that you’re a good man, noble king and a son I can be proud of,” Helena pleads – making a promise she won’t question him again if he can answer yes to all of this.  “I am,” Robert states and just like that Helena accepts his word. The fact that Helena even had to confront him on this however shows that in the back of her mind she does have her doubts.

 

“He’s not a bad person my brother. He’ll find his way back,” Robert later tells Willow who seems quite overwhelmed over what had happened earlier. Oh man, he’s good. Fans try each time to figure out if this guy is being genuine or manipulative, but either what he gets what he wants when Willow agrees to have dinner with him after he shows her he brought in the best noodles in the city. You have to give him props earlier Willow had blurted out that Cassandra couldn’t be trusted because she lied about were the best noodles in the city can be found. Yeah, Willow’s jealousy was showing but even during that short conversation Robert remembered and now is presenting her with her favorite dish.

 

 

There’s a Girl Who Likes a Boy

 

“You tried to make something better so that’s what we’re going to do,” a suited-up Jasper explains to Eleanor when she asks him why he’s all dressed up. Okay, it needs to be said Jasper and Eleanor have had the biggest character growth as individuals, especially when fans recall how there had been a time Jasper had only looked out for him. Now, after knowing theres a possibility that Devon won’t show, he’s going out of his way to be one of Becky’s crushes who shows up to the dance. Even though he did it for Becky, he also did this more for his girl who put her entire heart into the project and he didn’t want to see it break.

 

It turns out though that Devon isn’t a little douchebag and because he was out of town he didn’t have the chance to RSVP.  A pissed off princess becomes a pleased princess at how charming he is and then dismisses him to a very elated Becky. Congratulations Eleanor as you made a girl’s dream come true. Unfortunately for Jasper, considering he’s no longer needed and still immobile, he finds himself sitting off to the side and having to endure Sebastian (Toby Sandeman) and Eleanor dancing together. Jaspenor might be together privately, but publicly is a whole other story. “Is he jealous,” Sebastian asks her as he spins her around and from the way that Jasper is angrily drinking from his straw and glaring at Sebastian’s back it’s safe to say he most definitely is. Fret not though bodyguard because Eleanor only has heart eyes for you and it’s confirmed when she later tells him that he’ll be returning back to the palace tonight and staying in “their” room, which has the monogrammed “J” pillow to prove it.

 

Into the Darkness We Go

 

The closing scene definitely threw fans for a loop as we tried to figure out what exactly happened, but first let’s go over what leads up to it. Cyrus is once again back to being the frustrated uncle when Liam confronts him about his earlier actions. Even though the information about Robert wasn’t true, Cyrus still believed they could have used that. “The information didn’t need to be true it just had to be loud.” His irritation over Liam’s actions getting the best of him, he degrades his nephew telling him he looks forward to the moment that Helena never picks him. He’s definitely using Liam’s insecurities against him. Afterwards, Liam takes his leave shortly after Cyrus gets a call. “You’re absolutely sure about this,” he queries into the phone. Ending the call, he disappears out of the room.

 

Helena finds herself in the wine cellar getting a bottle of wine probably to drown the awful day she’s had. From dealing with Liam’s outburst to her breaking her affair off with Colin (Andrew Steele), it’s understandable. However, before she even has a chance to open the bottle she hears something. “Who’s there?”

 

Willow once again finds herself smitten by Robert when she opens up her fortune cookie that says she’s going to live happily ever after. Jasper has just been loaded into the ambulance and from the content smile on his face he’s ready to go home, not just to the palace but to Eleanor who is eagerly waiting. So, where is Robert in all of this? Standing in his study overlooking London,  he counds down“3, 2, 1” as all of London is suddenly draped in darkness.