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The Ultimate Comment - The Screwed Project

An Informal Essay on the Importance of Choice through Relationships in Screwed

Young Royals (2021) is a Swedish Netflix series created by Lisa Ambjörn that follows the story of Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (portrayed by Edvin Ryding), who has been sent to a boarding school after a public fight to avoid further scandal. There he meets another student, named Simon Eriksson, played by Omar Rudberg. The two begin a blossoming secret romance,but does not follow the usual tropes used within queer story writing to drive the plot by one character coming to terms with their sexuality. Inside, the plot is complicated by the vastly different social statuses and worlds each is a part of. Given the show's popularity, a growing fan community, known widely as a fandom, had grown online. Part of this fandom culture includes fanfiction, which can be summarised succinctly as a writing genre where fans write their own stories using various media characters. In addition, a sub-genre of fanfiction has been coined as the ‘alternate universe’ (or AU) sub-genre, which can involve a different environment for the characters to react to or even a full rewrite of the initial storyline of the original media that has been drawn from. Fanfiction has been and continues to be a popular way for fans of media to interact and share in fandom culture, whether this takes place in physically printed zines (started in Star Trek fan circles in the 1970s) or online (on popular fanfiction sites such as Wattpad, Fanfiction.net, or Archive of Our Own).

In this AU genre, there exists a fanfiction titled “Screwed,” written by fandom_commitment_issues (referred to here henceforth as Zee), which is one of the most-commented works of fanfiction on Archive of Our Own (abbreviated to Ao3). The story explores what might have happened, had Prince Wilhelm’s elder brother, Crown Prince Erik, not died in Episode 2 of the show. Similar plot points to the show are redone without the aforementioned death; which, in the show, takes Prince Wilhelm from being the second-born son to the sole heir to the Swedish throne. The phrase for two princes, in history, has been “an heir and a spare” – Wilhelm, in this, became the heir from his previous position of the spare. One of the common themes in the show – and in “Screwed” – is the lack of power Wilhelm has in making choices that impact his own life, no matter how small. However, unlike the show, where Wilhelm is constantly unable to make his own choices for the entirety of the first season, “Screwed” sees Wilhelm’s journey in being able to take control of his life. This essay will explore Wilhelm’s ability to make decisions through three critical relationships: the most controlling, Wilhelm and his mother, Queen Kristina; the shifting control of Wilhelm’s brother, Prince Erik; and his romantic relationship with Simon, whereas Wilhelm is able to fully regain control over his choices.

Wilhelm’s relationship with his mother, Queen Kristina, is rather obviously the most controlling of all his relationships in the show and the story. She is shown to have extreme control of Wilhelm from the show's very first moments, as she tells him that he is being sent to a boarding school despite having already started the school year at a local school. She further forces her son to make a televised statement that this was his own choice after a video is released showing Wilhelm getting into a fight in a club, presumably recorded by an onlooker (Young Royals Episode 1). This control is absolute, and even despite the text messages that Wilhelm sends home to his mother, he continues to stay at the school – notably against his wishes. Upon first glance, this treatment may seem customary of a young and spoiled child of nobility: boarding school, where all rank and title are seemingly stripped away. However, Wilhelm is not a young child. He begins the series as a minor, true, but he is still sixteen years old – which is old enough to be a part of the decision-making process of his education and, presumably, his life. Clearly, he had previously been given some choice as he did not immediately attend Hillserka, unlike his older brother, Erik, and their mother, Kristina. This is the very first act that we, the viewers of the show, see of her control over Wilhelm. This was intentionally shown as something large: if his mother had been shown ramping up her control, we as the audience could assume that she has never done something this large before. However, this is the first action of control over Wilhelm that we are exposed to. And the reaction it gains – complaint and struggle but ultimately, compliance – is taken as though this is normal. It is taken as though this is not the worst think she has done or can do. This notation Kirstina holds in needing to control Wilhelm’s choice to avoid perviced scandal and a hostile press image that will continue with “Screwed.”

“Screwed” begins when Wilhelm is already attending Hillserka. For “Screwed,” the reader still sees signs of Kristina’s controlling behaviour as the plot divergence of Erik not dying begins with the introduction of an original character named Ebba, who is Erik’s girlfriend. When it comes to the relationship, Erik states that she was his mother’s choice and someone that she had approved of for him to date (Chapter 1), showing that her need to control doesn’t solely rest with Wihelm’s life, but with Erik’s as well. This is further evident to us (the reader) when, in Chapter 6, Kristina tells Erik about his relationship with Ebba and that it is time to go public. Zee writes how “she said in a ton that suggested that she wasn’t suggesting anything. No, this was not a suggestion. It had never been a suggestion” (Chapter 6). While Erik, the more favoured child and heir to the throne, can sometimes word things to manipulate her to do something more along with what he wishes, Kristina’s control is still present in his relationships, as we see with Wilhelm. How Kristina will try to control Wilhelm’s growing relationship and try to end it, can be foretold in another relationship of Erik’s – this time, with another original character: Georgia. Although the full story of Georgia and Erik’s relationship is never told, the details are presented to the reader as a whirlwind and near-reckless romance. However, by Prince Consort Ludwig’s own admission, Erik was pressured by his parents to end the relationship (Chapter 15). However, as the inner workings of Kristina’s relationship with Ludwig come to light, it is clear she is the only one genuinely making the decisions for the family. For all of their lives, she has only been putting up the front of a unified image when it suits the public image that she wishes for. These situations with Erik’s relationships are later repeated with Wilhelm’s relationship with Simon being leaked through a non-consensually recorded video, and Kristina attempts to end this relationship in a similar manner.

We see the most significant evidence of Kristina’s need to control her son and dictate Wilhelm's choices in the aftermath of the leaked sex tape between Wilhelm and Simon. While a normal family would attempt to undo the damage by lashing back against the anonymous person who posted the (non-consensually recorded) sex tape, Kristina is the very personification of the traditions that Wille has to fight against to make his own choices. Early in “Screwed,” Malin takes on an expanded role. She is not just a bodyguard for the royal family, but also Erik’s best friend. She remarks when speaking with Erik about how “Wille also has to deal with years of traditions he’d be crumpling if he falls for a boy. It might be ‘accepted’ to be queer, and we might be miles ahead in LGBT rights in this country, but it’s still not seen as normal. Wille has to now deal with the fact that he’s not only abnormal for being a prince – which we both know he hates – but he’s also a queer prince?” (Chapter 2). Thus, when the truth is leaked, it is no surprise that Kristina’s first reaction is to order Wilhelm to deny the video – and, second, to avoid seeing Simon. Although the reader does not see the direct discussion between Wilhelm and his mother when she visits in the aftermath of the leaked video, we see glimpses of how that conversation goes when she speaks to Erik in the aftermath of Chapter 14. Erik remarks on how their mother refers to the whole situation as an inconvenience. She had told Wilhelm the plan to deny the video, which was, to her and everyone else involved, the end of the discussion. At this point, Erik decides to accept what Kristina has chosen. He understands the weight of traditions that his family is expected to uphold. So he goes along with the plan, as his mother drops Erik back at Hillerska to deal with his younger brother. Her plan for him is that he may keep him in line, chicken tenders in one hand and a joint of weed in the other. Kristina holds power over her sons, and from this midway point in the story, it becomes the force that both brothers will attempt to work against.

There are multiple ways Kristina has controlled her sons, especially Wilhelm, and this can be seen in how Erik originally plays along: she isolates Wilhelm from any support network. Erik does eventually change his ways (which will be discussed later). Still, as Wilhelm remarks after being left alone at Hillerska with her orders in place, Kristina is likely to tell him no more about what would be expected of him. Erik was unlikely to begin the process of isolation that had worked well to keep Wilhelm under her thumb in the past. It is established in “Screwed” that Wilhelm is often the scapegoat for situations that Erik has gotten or fallen into. In the aftermath, Kristina punishes Wilhelm by isolating him from his friends. It is a tactic the reader learns has been repeated numerous times by paying off friends that Wilhelm had in the past. The list is long: Nicklas, Leo, Miles, and Jasper are all friends of Wilhelm’s that were paid off by Kristina to leave Wilhelm and isolate him to do as she wished. She brings this up in Chapter 20, as Wilhelm is preparing to do a video interview where he can either admit to being in the sex tape with Simon, which will prove his queerness, or deny it and follow the traditional role of a prince. Kristina demands he does. Kristina’s mention of these former friends proves Erik right from Chapter 19 when he announces Simon will be coming with them to the palace. Erik states in Chapter 19 that “she’ll get in his head about legacy and forever, and she’ll work at it until he breaks. She’ll find an opening and push at it until he agrees to deny everything, but if you’re there, he’ll remind himself why he’s happy,” which is proven true the very moment when Wilhelm is alone with his mother. Wilhelm mentions this to himself in the very same chapter when he seems to fully realise that he does, in fact, hate his mother. His internal dialogue states it in plain text: “Kirstina could twist every word Wilhelm said - and would - if it gave her the advantage” (Chapter 19). For Wilhelm, this isolation is her trump card against him. It plants the seeds of doubt in Wilhelm’s mind that perhaps Simon may leave him as well. That Simon may accept the money and fade from his life quickly as Simon waltzed in and stole his heart. At this moment, Kristina does not know that Simon is in the palace himself, but as Erik predicted, he crumples under her pressure. And while Wilhelm tries to counteract his mother’s arguments, she twists them all as expected, and at the moment, it is clear Kristina has won this hand – and Wilhelm is sent off as a puppet perfectly under her control. Her control of him is absolute now, no matter his resolve just mere hours before, with Simon and Erik at his side. She shoves the video replaying on a tablet before Wilhelm, rubbing ‘his’ actions into his face. When he turns his head away from it, she only turns up the volume to hear what the media is saying. This way, Kristina has isolated him and could have had her way had Wilhelm remained isolated from these two.

After the climax of one of the two main plots, Kristina attempts to assert her control over Wilhelm one final time: an NDA for Simon, for when he has admitted his relationship and involvement in the leaked video. The NDA is described as a “book,” when it comes to how thick the document was. Additionally, it took three hours to read, which Wilhelm diligently does, as not to allow Kristina to assert her control over his boyfriend similarly (Chapter 20). Even with the cat out of the bag on Wilhelm’s identity of being a queer individual (which no specific label given in the show or this story), Kristina’s NDA would control Wilhelm as much as Simon by vastly limiting the small local dates the two had already been on, as well as any future social media postings. Only when Ludwig brings a much shorter NDA with only restrictions on posting anything related to Kristina and August, as well as presenting Simon with a non-biased lawyer, is when Wilhelm accepts that Simon should sign one. The fact that Ludwig is the one to extend the olive branch NDA shows how Kristina has lost control of her son and others along with him.

The final nail in the coffin of Kristina’s control over Wilhelm comes after Wilhelm makes a phone call to Erik, informing him it was August who had non-consensually recorded and uploaded the sex tape of Wilhelm and Simon. When Erik confronts Kristina with this information, he does ultimately ask how she feels about her youngest son with the shout “he was a spare!” (Chapter 23), as Zee follows up by explaining: “this was why she only ever shouted at Wille. This was why she had only spent time with Erik. This was why she didn’t tolerate “Wille’s mistakes,” even though she knew they were very much not his. This was why she kept sending him away, time and time again. This was why she was so apathetic towards his struggles, his anxiety, his fucking outing. This was why she did not love him” (Chapter 23). This passage shows that Wilhelm was only a tool and necessity for Kristina and her duty to the Crown, and was only ever that. He was a tool she needed in case anything happened to Erik (such as what happened in the show); her true colours show her disdain for Wilhelm’s existence. Through these words, two of Wilhelm’s main supporters (Erik and Ludwig) break with any pretence to go along with Kristina’s plans. These words result in Kristina ensuring her own doom at any chance of controlling Wilhelm in the future, as the controlling entity refuses to give any chance of control.

Wille’s relationship with Erik represents fluctuation in the power to control his own choices as Erik navigates between being open to giving Wille choices while at times also restricting Wilhelm’s ability to make his own choices. Very little information is shared about Prince Erik in Young Royals, so his character is significantly expanded by Zee in “Screwed.” As Erik represents a change in Wilhelm’s power to make his own choices, Erik himself varies between keeping tight control of Wilhelm and allowing his younger brother control, often to the frustration of the reader.

Erik begins allowing his brother the power to choose what to say to him about the ‘crush’ he had at the start of Chapter 1. Erik chooses to be mindful about what pronouns to use when speaking with Wille about who he is interested in. This partly comes from the severe anxiety that he knows his brother faces, as Erik notes that “ Wille dealt with enough anxiety without having to also deal with Erik understanding his sexuality before he did.” (Chapter 1). Knowing his brother's mental health issues, Erik does not force the issue to have Wille tell him more about the crush. He does, however, continue to playfully tease and ask about just who caught his little brother’s eye; but Erik holds back and allows Wille to come to him in his own time. This is more clearly seen in the next chapter when Erik, while teasing Wille on the phone about where he was, overhears Simon’s voice moments after Wille admitted to being at his crush’s house alone. When asked, Erik gives his brother what he wants without hesitation: time to sort out what was going on between himself and his interest in Simon.Erik, at that moment, allows Wille the chance to choose when to tell Erik about how he is falling for, with only a correction of “meet him” instead of the gender-neutral “them” Erik had used (Chapter 2). The correction was Wille’s choice, and his alone to make at that moment.

This is an early example of how Erik shows his willingness to give Wille the power to choose what to say and when to say it. However, as this will become a theme, Erik does not always execute this ability flawlessly. No sooner had he realized that his brother was developing a relationship with another boy than he ran directly to his best friend, Malin, to break the news that his brother was queer. The coming out process is crucial for queer individuals, and choosing who and when to come out is integral. However, to “out” someone against their will or knowledge can be very damaging and incite a break in trust. For Erik, when he tells Malin that his brother has admitted to liking a boy, he is effectively outing Wilhelm and removing the option of choice to tell Malin himself, who Wilhelm knows and interacts with on a certain daily level. Malin, who Zee presents as queer with a female partner, would ideally be a safe person to come out to. However, it is still a choice that should ultimately be one for the person in question. As soon as he tells her, Malin points this out to Erik, reminding him that this is not his news to share. The choice lay with Wilhelm when and if to tell her about his boyfriend.

Erik does learn from this lesson, however. When presented with two opportunities to possibly out Wille again, he is able to catch himself and place the choice to tell the individuals himself when Wille is ready. The first is when Erik tells Wille that he and his girlfriend Ebba are about to go public with his relationship. Ebba comes into the room during the conversation and asks if Erik is speaking to Wille, and Erik starts to reply, “‘Yeah, and his–’ FUCK. He couldn’t tell Ebba about Simon” (Chapter 9), catching himself before he follows with “boyfriend” (Chapter 9). This gives Wille the option of choice back to him to either tell Ebba or not. Erik gives the power of choice back to Wille. Wille, giddy from the high of being intimate with Simon for the first time, decides to correct his brother with “‘He’s not ‘uh Simon’ like Erik called him. He’s my boyfriend’” (Chapter 9) and this ends with both boys soon reduced to a fit of giggles. Erik showed he could hold back and give his brother control. The second example of Erik learning to control himself and give Wille the power to make his own choices is when their father, Ludwig, confronts Erik after his eldest son storms off from a heated exchange with Kristina. Erik had made the off-handed comment about being gay himself. Ludwig approaches his older son, and after a discussion about if Erik was honest about not being gay, the question finally comes from Ludwig: “Did Wilhelm finally come out?” (Chapter 9). Here, Erik responds the best way he can, with “You and I both know there is no good way for me to answer that” (Chapter 9). To answer one way would trap Wille in a lie with their father, while the other would out Wille. Both men show their suspicions of Wille being possibly queer, as individuals who have known Wille for all of his life and have possibly seen the hints. Erik again places the choice of Wilhelm telling their father about his boyfriend with Wille himself by not answering the question. And while Wille would ultimately not be able to tell his father about Simon on his own terms, due to the leaking of the video; for now, Erik has allowed Wille to make his own choice in the future.

The second significant instance where Erik moves between attempting to control Wilhelm’s choice and ultimately giving him the power of choice comes in how he reacts in the aftermath of the leaked video again. For all that, Erik is Wille’s older brother. He is also the Crown Prince of Sweden and has been groomed by his mother for the role he will eventually inherit. It is this role that Erik seems to place first when news of the video is leaked with the reaction that Wilhelm had to deny the video (Chapter 13). His response is a complete reversal from earlier chapters, when Erik had been accepting and ultimately supportive of Wilhelm’s relationship with Simon and accepting his queerness. Nevertheless, Erik goes beyond supporting Kristina with her order for Wilhelm to deny the video, because Erik forces Wilhelm to smoke weed so the drugs would calm him down. And Erik didn’t back down. “‘Smoke it.’ When Erik demanded it of him, this time, it was as the Crown Prince. Not as his older brother. So he did. For the second time in his life, Erik offered him weed. And for the first time in his life, Wille took it” (Chapter 14). The first time Wilhelm was offered weed by his brother, he became the scapegoat for his brother’s actions. Here, one can argue that Erik is acting in his brother’s best interest, who was having near-continual anxiety attacks and needs to calm down before Kristina arrives. Erik has still not agreed to any way Wilhelm can refuse the drug, and holds it out until his younger brother takes a hit. Erik has changed roles from the supportive brother to the Crown Prince, who is concerned with getting Wilhelm through the scandal with minimal damage to his image and public integrity. When Kristina eventually talks to Wilhelm and makes the choice for him that Wilhelm will have an interview to publicly deny his involvement in the video, Erik just accepts it without any argument. Like a good soldier, he follows his mother’s orders with no complaint and follows the orders to have Wilhelm – somehow – survive the week. This point further frustrates the reader, as it has been clearly stated and shown that Erik, Wilhelm’s older brother, also serves the role of a parental guardian. As previously discussed with Wilhelm’s relationship with his mother, Kristina had Wilhelm solely for her duty to the crown: to produce a spare, rather than any true desire to have a second child. As a result of this disdain for her second child, the responsibility for looking after him is not passed to her husband but, in fact, to Erik, who is only roughly four or five years older. This role is why the Erik of “Screwed” is present at events like Parent’s Day and Lucia. Zee notes how “Erik had been there on Parents’ Day because, although he was a sibling, he was the closest thing to an acting parent Wille had. He handled all of Wille’s schooling, anyway” (Chapter 12). After the leak of the video, Wilhelm texts Erik to excuse his absence, not that anyone would genuinely believe that the younger prince is actually sick. At this moment, for Wilhelm, Erik is another parental figure who refuses to let him make his own decisions about his life, much in a similar manner to Kristina.

Interestingly, Wille’s and Erik’s father snaps Erik back towards allowing Wille to make his own choices regarding the video. After the conversation with Ludwig, asking the vital question about Wille’s boyfriend in this mess, Erik heads to speak directly with Wille. In Chapter 16, Zee writes, “‘Why don’t you want to deny it?’ Erik asked. He knew the answer.[...]Wilhelm sat up straight, his eyes ablaze with a passion Erik had never seen in his lillebror before. ‘Because!’ ‘Why?’ Erik coaxed again. ‘Because I love him!’ Wille, fueled by more than just the wisps of embers now, shot to his feet and shouted.” Here, the answer is forced out of Wilhelm again, through Erik demanding an explanation. However, this moment is when Erik “wakes up,” so to speak, and starts putting the means together for Wille to take back the power over all of his choices. Erik begins with work to allow Wille to decide if he will deny or verify those in the leaked sex tape. To Ebba, he admits his plan, stating, “The trick is to not let my mother know that’s what’s happening until after it’s done” (Chapter 16). He knows how his mother works from how he had previously followed along with the Queen’s plan for Wilhelm. He, is at that moment in the chapter, going over legal documents and working out the means to start presenting Simon as a significant other to a member of the Royal House – which is not too dissimilar to Ebba’s situation. Only now, he has the admission that Wille does, in fact, love Simon, which is a point Erik had already realised before Wille himself voiced it.
It is also with Wille’s forced confession that when it is time for Wille to confront his mother, Erik insists that Simon come with them to Drottningholm Palace. As Wille attempts to say goodbye to his boyfriend, “Erik cuts him off before he can actually say goodbye. “You’re coming with us, Simon.” (Chapter 19). As Erik further elaborates, Kristina will get into Wille’s head no matter what his convictions are at the moment and what he has stated to Erik, Ebba, Malin and Ludwig, although not directly present. Simon is the key to allowing Wille to control his choices again, free from any other influence. Erik realises that Simon is the key to enabling his brother, his kid, to finally be free and make choices without the controlling influence of their mother. And even, to a degree, set into motion the means for Erik to take power from his mother. Thus, Erik represents a shift in allowing Wille control over his choices, fluctuating between listening to his brother and not. Ultimately, he decides to listen, opening the way to trust and support Wille, whatever he chooses.

This leads us to the third and final meaningful relationship in “Screwed,” Wille and Simon. Simon, for Wille, represents his freedom to choose and his drive to fight to free himself from the control of his mother. Simon allows Wille to set the pace and tone of their relationship, starting with the first weekend that Wille spends over at Simon’s house. In the first few chapters of “Screwed,” which take place at Simon’s house, Wille has the chance to drop the pretense of Prince Wilhelm and be the boy Wille, who is trying to navigate these feelings that he has not previously experienced. As he admits to Simon after another character, Felice attempts to kiss Wille, “You and I both know there is only one person I want to be kissing, and it’s not Felice” (Chapter 1). The dialogue here shows a desire to continue whatever has begun since Simon first kissed Wille. Wille, here, is admitting who he chooses to kiss and who he wants to explore a relationship with. Moments later, Wille and Simon discuss the possibility of Wille spending the weekend at Simon’s house. As Wille realises that thus far Simon has been the one to initiate kisses, he makes the decision. “This time, Wille could make the choice. This time, Wille needed to make the choice” (Chapter 1), which is to kiss Simon, and he promptly does. One may not help who they fall in love with, and Wilhelm is fast falling for Simon, but he does have the power to decide just how he will act upon those feelings. And act he does, by kissing Simon and falling more in love, and Simon leaves that choice for him to act. Simon never, throughout “Screwed,” forces Wille into action; he continues to leave that choice open for Wille to make.

Simon allows Wille to make a choice on how to act and follow through with his feelings during their first weekend spent at Simon’s home. Knowing that Wille would not be left alone with August over the weekend, the pair end up at Simon’s. During their time there, the question of their relationship arises. Simon has as much right as Wille to put a label on their relationship. However, the reader gets this exchange: “Simon hesitated for a minute. He turned to face Wille and stroked a piece of hair off his forehead. ‘Not if you don’t want one,’ he said. Because, really, he didn’t care about if they were labeled or not. Just that they were together, and happy, and not fucking other people” (Chapter 2). Simon leaves several options open: whether to give a specific term of boyfriend or partner, or nothing at all. As long as there is an understanding that they are exclusive, Simon will accept whatever Wille chooses. And ultimately, after Erik uses the term in Chapter 4 without thinking, Wille makes his choice: “‘I want to be your boyfriend,’ Wille whispered.” For Wille to conclude this on his own, he needed time, which is what Simon gave him when asked. His actions show that Simon can give Wille what he needs to make his own choices. In this instance, it was only a couple of days, and could have been longer without the misstep on Erik’s part, but that decision was made entirely by Wille. Simon has already given his terms that as long as they aren’t with others, labels or no labels are fine, and when Wille settles on the word ‘boyfriend,’ Simon agrees with joy. The acceptance of labels, or lack, extends to the labelling of Wille’s sexuality. Throughout “Screwed,” various characters and the media after the leak attempt to put a specific label, usually gay, upon the prince; but Simon never makes such an attempt. Simon leaves it open for Wille to tell him when, if ever, Wille decides to label himself. There is never any pressure, even though Simon himself is openly gay. What matters for Simon is they are together and, on some level, open to telling those in their closest circle. Something that is done until the leaked video ruins both boys' privacy. And even as the geese of the media come attacking, Simon accepts Wille’s choice regarding how he labels himself and their relationship in general.

For Wille, Simon also becomes the person he chooses to seek out at times when his anxiety is peaking. Wille’s anxiety is demonstrated numerous times in the show, and in “Screwed,” Zee expands on this so that he has been diagnosed with a known panic disorder (Chapter 12). In a panic or anxiety attack, the person does not always act with knowledge of what they are doing but can, at times, react. For example, in Chapter 4, after an encounter with Wilhelm’s cousin August (about where he had spent the weekend and if he had anything to share), Wille descends into a panic, but subconsciously makes a choice that he hadn’t before: “find Simon. His hugs make the world seem peaceful again. He didn’t realize he was having a panic attack until he was halfway back to the school. He didn’t realize that this was the first time he had looked for someone other than Erik to help him calm down until several days later” (Chapter 4). The comfort and acceptance he so often receives from him has led Wille to subconsciously seek out Simon so early on, which shows how his heart has begun to freely make choices that benefit his health and safety. This is later repeated in the aftermath of the leaked video, with even Erik noting how “Wille needed Simon this time. Not him” (Chapter 14). Both boys are in the throes of panic, considering how their relationship has been brutally forced out into the public domain.

The physical intimacy is still there; however, through Simon, Wille shows how he can make his choice but also does so in a way that respects Simon’s choices. The first time they engage in acts beyond just kissing, Wille, who had been drinking previously and took pills, pauses to check in with Simon. As the clothes are coming off, there is a pause: “And I’m sober, I swear to God, but I don’t want you to regret it after” from Wille (Chapter 8). At this moment, Wille is not only giving Simon a choice, but he is also posing that same choice to himself. Will they only continue when the other agrees to establish consent? Consent is an essential aspect of choice, as it allows all parties involved to know that they are in control and that there is also the door open to withdraw that consent should either party not feel comfortable. The readers see another moment of this as both Wille and Simon return to classes, where Wille leaves the door open for Simon to choose his actions, which mirrors how Simon has also been allowing Wille to choose his actions. The first morning has been mere days since both had seen each other, but there is recognition that both have been through a traumatic experience. Given this, when asking for a hug, Wille reveals that “everyone in this room had already seen too much. He didn’t want to push it. He wanted Simon to have a choice. He didn’t want to do anything Simon wasn’t sure about — wasn’t comfortable with” (Chapter 16). Consent is even more important to them now, as both have had their own taken from them. While Simon being gay is nothing new to those who know him, Wille’s queerness has been blasted all across social media. Checking in with Simon allows Wille to communicate the choices he wants to give him, and that even includes the option to decline. Wille is actively choosing Simon and gives his consent for a hug. All he needs is Simon to carry out the act.

The most important way that Simon allows Wille to take control of his choices is at the climax of the first plot when Wille admits the relationship. As discussed in the previous sections, while Kristina orders Wille to deny the video; Erik switches back and forth between allowing Wille to decide his statement to the media or following their mother’s orders; but Simon always leaves the choice with Wilhelm. Erik brings Simon along with them to the palace, as Wille also acknowledges. Both brothers know that a word from Kristina will dry up any resolve he had to confirm that the still-faceless person in the video is himself. When Wille first tells Simon that Erik and Ludwig will support Wille to come out, Zee writes that “he also knew Wille wasn’t ready yet. At least Simon was content with staying in the shadows with Wille, just a bit longer – before that video came out. He was fine with not telling everyone. The important people knew, and didn’t need to tell random people. But now they didn’t have a choice. Someone had taken that choice from them” (Chapter 17). Simon isn’t the one forcing Wille to come out, as he understands the need for some secrecy about their relationship and thus agrees that only those most important to them know. Simon is happy that Wille doesn’t wish to deny the video. But now the choice of when and how to come out has been taken; a decision has to be made one way or the other regardless of what they wish. And Simon, in Chapter 17, first argues against Wille publicly coming out and going against Kristina’s wishes. For all that Simon wants to keep Wille from the monarchy, he also understands the monarchy is a part of Wille, as he is Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, too. Thus, when Erik can outplay his mother and get Simon into the room with Wille just as his interview starts, Simon has a gift for him. Together and unaware of those around them, Simon holds out his hand and Wille “pulled Simon’s hand closer to him, staring at the pin as if it had been a long-lost friend returned to him“ (Chapter 19). The pin in question is a small rainbow. The pin, in “Screwed,” is described as just being seen in the video and represents Wilhelm’s acceptance of being queer and in love with Simon. Simon only holds it out to Wille, giving him the freedom to choose: to put the pin on and accept who he is, or to leave the pin behind and deny the video. Of the two, Wille decides to accept and tell the world who he is in love with. When Simon goes to put the pin on, he starts to pin it on the inside of Wille’s jacket, only for Wille to ask Simon to put the pin in the lapel. Anyone who sees the video, without hearing the words, would know what is about to be said if they had seen the video. But throughout this, Simon never forces Wille to speak one way or another, the choice is all his, and at the moment, Wille embraces it and closes the book on his mother’s control over his options.

Ultimately for Wille, what gives him his choice back is Simon’s acceptance of the two sides of Wilhelm. Wille being queer is not the main issue in the show, and the same is true of “Screwed” – instead, the problem is the fact that Wille is also Prince Wilhelm of Sweden. The two sides conflict without a way to bend to each other and cause drama and chaos throughout the story. A leaked sex tape would not get the media attention or attack had Wilhelm not been a role. And throughout the writing of “Screwed,” Zee is very deliberate in their use of Wilhelm’s name. Simon almost always sees him as Wille, the boy without the title and baggage that comes with being royalty. At the end of “Screwed,” however, Simon has also accepted him in both these roles freeing Wille to be who he truly is, merging the two sides. As the pair lie happy, after a Christmas Eve spent with those that matter the most, and in a hotel alone and able to enjoy themselves without the fear of prying eyes, Wilhelm muses on how “he knew Simon loved Wille. But this was the first time he realized that Simon loved Wilhelm, too” (Chapter 25). With the love of his life, even at 16, able to accept Wilhelm as he is, it has opened the door for the other key figures in his life, such as Erik, Ludwig, Ebba, Malin, and Linda to also accept the prince for who he is. This act cements Wilhelm’s ability to control his decisions once and for all.

It is interesting to note that while the actions of Kristina, Erik, and Simon, among others, allow Wille to take control of his actions, those same actions seal the fate of how Kristina and August are able to make their own choices. August is revealed in the final chapters to be the individual who filmed and then uploaded the sex tape as revenge for Wilhelm telling others about his poor financial situation. Kristina has been left completely alone at the end of “Screwed.” For Kristina’s part, her actions result in her having little power. When Erik confronts Kristina, he plays his ultimate trump card: “‘It was benign, thank God,’ Erik continued. He tried not to feel good about how much he was succeeding. He hadn’t wanted to resort to blackmailing his mother, but at least it was working. ‘It could come back, though. It might not be benign next time’” (Chapter 19). Erik is next in line as the Crown Prince, and although he is not ready for the throne, in order to protect his brother and allow Wille to choose what he wants, he would be the one to take over in any crisis. The benign tumour was also a closely kept secret that Erik had revealed, which chips away at Kristina’s power. This is decidedly unlike how she has restricted Wilhelm from making his own choices. The coffin is sealed when Kristina’s real opinions about her youngest son are revealed, horrifying her husband. In Chapter 23, Ludwig states that “‘when it is over… Erik will decide if a transition of power is necessary.’” This effectively puts Kristina into Erik's control. Kristina loves her power more than her family, and it shows throughout the entire work. But that love and need to fully control are what also seals her fate, leaving her alone. Thus, while the rest of her family celebrates the holidays at Linda’s house, she is left alone. As Erik states, “‘We’ll do the prerecorded messages without you, and then Papa and I will come back here for Christmas. Mama and August can eat alone,’” which allows Wilhelm to be free of royal duty for a short while and enjoy his hard-earned freedom of choice (Chapter 25). The two antagonists of “Screwed” deserve this isolation, as well and due punishment for their actions. In the end, there are stronger bonds than ever and a newfound family gathers at the Eriksson household for a better Christmas than before.
Zee, through “Screwed,” shows us, the reader, how important it is to be allowed the freedom to make our own decisions, whether they are good or bad. It is through these choices that we are able to find who we are. The relationship that carries us through life does play an essential role as a support network and guides us when we need help. However, in the end, the decision lies with the individual having that choice. Thus it is through Wille’s relationship with his mother, brother, and boyfriend that Wille is able to fully take command of his choices and through the process, show how much of an impact it can have in accepting and presenting who you are to the world.

Works Cited

Young Royals, created by Lisa Ambjörn, Lars Beckung & Camilla Holter, Nexiko AB, 2021.

Zee, fandom_committmet_issues. 2022. “Screwed”. In Archive of Our Own , edited by Dani, the_navistar_carol. Young Royals (2021) fanfiction.

Thank you Dani, for beta’ing Screwed. It seems fitting you get to beta this :P Zee and you did a wonderful job! Really, if you ever doubt your writing just remember someone wrote a 7k essay about a story YOU wrote. Be proud of that. - Ezri

I beta’d that statement and its grammar lol – Dani