When we first met Princess Eleanor — the only daughter of the King and Queen of England — she was a total badass with a serious penchant for acting out. Not that her family was very different, as E!’s The Royals centers on a rather risque royal family. But, Eleanor certainly took the spotlight as a sexual provocateur, fashion icon, and socialite. She was basically a royal reincarnation of beloved Gossip Girl It-Girl Serena Van der Woodsen — all booze, boys, and emotional instability.
And then, like any good coming of age story, she fell in love — with her bodyguard, of course, to keep the drama alive. It was then that things started to change for our favorite princess. She got sober (mostly), reconnected with her family (at least the ones who weren’t murdered), and started to rediscover her own identity.
And then, as per usual, all hell broke loose. After being wronged by Jasper — the man she finally was able to trust with her heart — it looked like Eleanor was headed towards another one of her famous downward spirals. With her bags packed to embark on a six-month world tour to design hotels with a prince, the fate of Eleanor hung in the balance.
When the fourth season of The Royals returned in March, it came with much anticipation for Eleanor’s character. Would she jet off with her newest love interest and leave her old life behind? Would she go completely off the rails and undo all the progress she had made? Would Jaspenor live to see another day?
Not only did our princess stay firmly on the rails, she actually seemed to have matured way past what we thought was possible. Gone are her days of reckless endangerment and scandalous tabloid covers. Instead, this fictional England has a whole new princess — one who can now serve as a badass role model not only for her on-air subjects, but for viewers of the show as well.
As the season goes on, it’s becoming clear that Eleanor is the girl boss we all need right now. Between traveling the world to find her own happiness, finally accepting that she is worthy of Jasper’s love, and encouraging her fellow women to take their fate (and their kingdom) into their own hands, Eleanor is stronger than ever.
Where so many provocative shows have failed in the past — namely the aforementioned Gossip Girl — The Royals opted to turn their once bad girl rebel into a feminist icon. Where Serena van der Woodsen was caught in an endless montage of proving that she could change her dark side, Eleanor seems to have actually done it. By breaking the cycle that was causing her own demise, Eleanor can serve as role model for young women in a way not many have been able to before.
It’s particularly surprising, coming from a show that many would deem a total “guilty pleasure” only because of its somewhat shallow scenario. But, this only proves that quality content doesn’t always have to be profound or Emmy-worthy. It only has to have a positive effect on viewers. And The Royals has proven to do just that.