When this episode of The Royals opens, Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) is hooked to an IV, in hopes of recovering from a hangover. Of course, when the doctor departs, she takes a big bong hit. She receives a video message from Rachel (Victoria Ekanoye), who insists she should follow up on the good press, by visiting a few charities. After the call abruptly ends, she informs Prince Liam (William Moseley) to rectify the situation. As it turns out, the Prince is on an airplane with Rachel, Queen Helena (Elizabeth Hurley) and Gemma (Sophie Colquhoun). Eleanor and Jasper (Tom Austen) head out to their first stop, an assisted living facility.

Nick Roane (Tom Ainsley) practically begs Ophelia to go on a date with him. She finally agrees and invites him over to the palace. The Queen provides Liam with instructions for his press tour. During his first stop, Liam makes a fool of himself. Meanwhile, Eleanor and Jasper arrive at the assisted living facility. With Jasper’s help, she avoids making a total fool of herself. Meanwhile, Nick catches up with Ophelia. Liam receives news that the press is suggesting he and Gemma are getting married. Of course, he blames it on Helena and tells her to stay out of his business.

In the palace tunnels, Ophelia catches the news, before she takes a picture of herself kissing Nick and posts it to Instagram. Nick offers to show Ophelia his side of the world, before she makes her ultimate decision. Liam speaks to Gemma and asks her how she is able to get people to like her. She insists that he should be himself and stop trying so hard. Meanwhile, Helena and Cyrus (Jake Maskall) discuss Liam’s potential, before they catch news of Eleanor’s successful day. Gemma asks Marcus (Ukweli Roach) to collect her earrings, but he refuses, before they argue.

After she departs, he steals her gloves. During their second stop, Liam argues with a football fan over their teams, before heading off for drinks. Meanwhile, Helena goes off to meet a young girl’s mother, who is forced to care for sick cows. Jasper and Eleanor continue their tour, while Liam continues getting everyone drunk. The bartender gives him a lesson in impressing the people. Helena meets the girl’s mom and learns about the cause of the sick cows. Eleanor hangs out with kids and insults her mother. Nick takes Ophelia to his party.

Liam meets with a young craftsman, who wishes to create boots, which will break from the family business. Jasper and Eleanor head to the last charity, which is Robert’s and turns out to be a drug rehab. Nick continues trying to impress Ophelia, while Helena attempts to solve the problem of the cows, but gets insulted. Liam shows off the boots, before departing. Ophelia continues shutting down Nick. At the rehab, Eleanor is pushed to give up some of her drugs, before learning about an addict’s troubles. She reveals her mother left her in the freezing car, while she went to get high. Eleanor insists the way her mother treated her wasn’t her fault, before she goes back to the palace and gets high.

She urges Jasper to come take advantage of her, before he enters and plays along. Back on the plane, Prince Liam discovers the picture of Ophelia, while she watches the video of her and Nick almost kissing. Gemma interrupts and insists Liam will head off, but eventually come back to her. Afterwards, Helena watches a news report of the distillery burning down and Liam having a successful tour. Cyrus and Helena discuss their potential for keeping the monarchy in tact. Liam returns home and invites Ophelia and her boyfriend to a charity event. She thanks him, before he leaves.

Review


Despite a lot of immature action, sex and drugs, The Royals has a pretty good foundation. Who knew E! would be able to put something halfway decent together, after 20 years of crap reality television? Suffice to say, the episode was fairly effective and well worth watching. It has enough heart and soul to keep me interested from one episode to the next. If you’ve got nothing else to watch, The Royals is a surprisingly good place to start. This episode deserves a 7.5 out of 10, and would likely soar higher, if it wasn’t for Ophelia the bore.