MTV Preps ‘The Royal World,’ an Aristocratic Reality Show

By Stewart Clarke

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – MTV’s “The Real World” pioneered reality TV. Now the Viacom-owned channel is delving into “The Royal World,” an unscripted series that will play globally and promises to show the exclusive, unfiltered lives of young royals and aristocrats.

The series comes from International, which will show it later in 2018 in 180 countries. The U.S. broadcaster has not been confirmed. Initial, which is part of Endemol Shine and makes “Big Brother” in the U.K., will produce “The Royal World.” The producers said the show will step inside the cast’s lavish family homes, and have access to their elite circles.

The “Made in Chelsea” scripted reality series in the U.K. follows well-to-do young socialites in upmarket west London. Fox’s ” I Wanna Marry Harry ,” meanwhile, was a reality dating show in which a fake Prince Harry set out to convince his dates he was the real thing. MTV said ladies, baronesses and counts will collide in its new reality show. It will unveil the cast soon, and the lineup will include descendants of aristocratic families from the U.K., Russia, Austria, Nigeria, and Ireland, as well as a “royally connected American.”

“MTV has a deep-rooted history of shining a light on original characters and unique subcultures. ‘The Royal World’ brings this to a whole new level,” said Kerry Taylor, EVP Youth & Music and co-head of MTV International.

“’The Royal World’ is a brilliantly entertaining show that invites you into a world which is utterly closed to most of us: the world of young, titled royals and aristocrats,” added Katy Manley, creative director at Initial. “Expect headline-grabbing gossip that’ll leave palaces squirming as we get to know the real people behind the titles.”