For one thing, the reality dating series of this title, beginning on Tuesday on TLC, is set not in Venice or Gstaad or even London but in the chip shops and seaside pubs of Brighton, England, which looks a lot closer to “Jersey Shore” than Buckingham Palace.
That must've been the pitch to TLC for "Undercover Princes" (premieres Tues., Jan. 31, 10 p.m. EST), which will soon be followed by "Undercover Princesses" (premieres Tues., Feb. 28, 10 p.m. EST). And by the looks of these "Princes," there's still plenty of comedy to mine from royals "slumming it" to find true love. |
| Under cover Prince |
We've got an exclusive sneak peek at the network's first foray into royal reality dating. "Undercover Princes" follows three princes as they move to England into a Brighton townhouse together to try to search for love as "undercovers." They don't have their usual entourage of servants and assistants, and they're forced to do everyday tasks like getting jobs and grocery shopping. (The choice between crunchy or creamy peanut butter spawns a hilarious debate.)The gimmick is that the men hide their royal identities during their search because they want to be loved for themselves, not their money and titles. But who are they, exactly? (And do they have any money?)
Take a look and meet Prince Africa Zulu of Onkweni Royal House in South Africa (he's in the brown polo shirt), who is very traditional; Prince Remigius of Jaffna in Sri Lanka (in the black sweater), who's on a mission to find a suitable bride; and Crown Prince Manvendra of Rajpipla (wearing the Indian scarf and attire) from one of India's wealthiest royal families, who was the first Indian royal to come out as gay.
NOTES ON PRINCE - Crown Prince Manvendra of Rajpipla. A 46-year-old from one of India's richest royal families, he shocked the world by becoming the first Indian royal to come out as gay. - Prince Africa Zulu of Onkweni Royal House. A 33-year-old from South Africa, he grew up in a traditional and conservative family and struggles with the liberal Brighton culture as well as with Prince Manvendra's sexuality. - Prince Remigius of Jaffna. A 47-year-old from Sri Lanka, he was raised with strict protocol in search of a queen to continue the royal line.