According to Deadline, E! has picked up its very first scripted series (well, if you don't count any of the Kardashian-centric shows). “The Royals” is a one-hour drama about a fictional bunch of British royals set in modern-day London. The show is supposed to be framed by the story of “Hamlet” and capture the “regal opulense” of the British monarchy.
Produced by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the show was created by “One Tree Hill”'s Mark Schwann, who wrote and directed “The Royals.”
E! is clearly going whole hog with “The Royals,” which will be shot in Great Britain. The show stars Elizabeth Hurley, Vincent Regan, William Moseley, Alexandra Park, Tom Austen, Jake Maskall, Ukweli Roach and Oliver Milburn. The story centers on Prince Liam (Moseley), who moves up a notch in the pecking order after his brother is killed in a military training accident. Liam loves a young American woman, Ophelia (Richardson), the daughter of the royal family”s head of security. Oh, and Hurley? She's the Queen. No idea if this means she'll be wearing a tightly-curled grey wig and carrying her lunch in a handbag, but you never know.
E! doesn't seem like a natural fit for a scripted show about a fake royal family (hey, they already have the Kardashians!), but the network probably wants to get in on the trend of original programming on basic cable. Bravo has greenlit its first scripted series, “Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce,” too.
Do you think you'll watch “The Royals”?