Feisty romance and streaming platforms go collectively like true crime and … er, streaming platforms. Over on Netflix, Sofia Carson cannot miss in relation to romantic films, having dominated the streamer’s charts with each 2025’s “The Life Listing” and 2022’s “Purple Hearts.” In the meantime, Hulu has seen success with its fantasy romance sequence “The Legend of the Blue Sea.” However the reigning champion of feisty romantic fare is at present Prime Video, having seemingly perfected the trashy romantic streaming film with “My Fault: London,” the English-language remake of a Spanish romantic drama.
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With that movie, the omnipotent algorithm spoke by way of the Prime Video execs to green-light the final word, viewing metric-guided romantic drama. Now, nevertheless, there’s competitors within the type of Netflix’s “The Royals.” In equity, “The Royals” is not actually direct competitors to Prime Video’s romantic drama. For one factor, it is a sequence somewhat than a film, and for an additional, it comes from India, not the U.Okay. However like “My Fault: London,” it is also stuffed with the type of foolish romantic shenanigans that make for streaming success.
The sequence follows Prince Aviraaj Singh (Ishaan Khatter), who after assembly self-made CEO Sophia Shekhar (Bhumi Pednekar), is swept up in a whirlwind of romance. The pair be part of forces to rework a struggling lodge right into a luxurious mattress & breakfast, and there is loads of sexual rigidity between them as they conflict over their differing views. As you may anticipate, such a factor has confirmed an inordinate success nearly instantly, with “The Royals” dominating the Netflix charts worldwide.
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The Royals has stolen the hearts of Netflix subscribers
“The Royals” premiered on Netflix Might 9, 2025, and in keeping with streaming viewership tracker FlixPatrol, has grow to be a worldwide hit. Since it is a Netflix authentic, it has the advantage of being launched in all of the streamer’s markets, which implies it has the potential of changing into a worldwide sensation. Thus far “The Royals” is off to begin in that regard. The sequence charted in 59 nations the day after it hit Netflix, even reaching primary in 9 of them.
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Issues simply acquired higher from there, with “The Royals” hitting primary in a complete of 15 nations on Might 11, 2025, earlier than reaching the highest spot in 25 nations the next day, together with its native India. On the time of writing, the sequence is charting in 85 nations, and has grow to be the primary most-watched present on Netflix on the earth.
Not that “The Royals” essentially wants the USA to safe its standing as a Netflix hit, however stateside the present is quantity 4 on the most-watched sequence charts. Contemplating it debuted at quantity eight on Might 10, then jumped to quantity 5 the next day, the present could be very a lot on an upward trajectory, suggesting we simply may see it hit primary within the U.S. because the week performs out.
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Is The Royals price watching?
“The Royals” is not making an attempt to reinvent the romance style, however should you like cleaning soap opera tropes and simmering sexual rigidity between two engaging individuals then you definitely’re positive to like this sequence, which occurs to be trending on Netflix alongside 2025’s most romantic horror film, simply in case you want your romance a little bit extra on the terror-infused aspect.
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Should you’re probably not all that loopy concerning the Netflix model of romance, then the fear will doubtless come from giving “The Royals” a watch. The present at present bears a 43% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is not fairly as unhealthy as Italian romance “The Tearsmith,” which dominated Netflix final yr with a dismal 0% RT rating that has now risen to 17%. However 43% is not precisely a triumph. It really places it in the identical vary as “The Life Listing,” which has a 46% RT rating.
As that score may recommend, critics had been underwhelmed with “The Royals.” Udita Jhunjhunwala of Scroll.in wrote, “The ‘Royal falls for commoner’ trope shouldn’t be new. Within the Netflix present ‘The Royals,’ creators Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy take this concept and hand it over to writers who squeeze each drop out of the cliche.” Not what you’d hope for, then, actually. Abhimanyu Mathur of the Hindustan Occasions was barely extra impressed, admitting that “The Royals” is “not good by any means” however stays a “enjoyable trip.” If something, “The Royals” looks as if a little bit of a blended bag, which paradoxically appears to be precisely the factor required to grow to be a streaming hit. In different phrases, we’re undoubtedly going to see a season 2 of “The Royals” whether or not we prefer it or not.
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