Why E! Could Cancel 'The Royals'

It's already been more than a month since fans saw the Henstridge family stunned when their plan to overthrow King Robert was thwarted by his now wife at their wedding. Unfortunately, there's still no word on whether or not that would be the last time "The Royals" would air a new episode on E!.

Previous seasons of "The Royals" were always renewed prior to the premiere of the newest episodes, but Season 4 of the show has officially come and gone, with no word on Season 5. While the show's fanbase, known as "Loyals," are still hopeful it will make a triumphant return once again next year. However, there are several reasons why they may need to brace themselves for potentially bad news—which could be that Season 4 was "The Royals" last.

There Is No Showrunner Anymore

The show's creator, Mark Schwahn, was fired from the series in December 2017 following accusations he had sexually harassed the female stars and crew of his former hit series "One Tree Hill." Following their reveal, Alexandra Park, who portrays Princess Eleanor on "The Royals" also came forward with her own allegations.

While his being fired was something celebrated, it does leave the show without a showrunner for Season 5. Season 4 production had already been completed before he was fired, which allowed for that season to still air. However, if E! does not announce a replacement to take over Schwahn's former role, it would seem likely that there is no intention to renew the series.

E! Did Cancel "The Arrangement"

E! has always been known for its reality program offerings but made a big move into the scripted TV universe with both "The Royals" and "The Arrangement." However, after only two seasons, "The Arrangement" was canceled. If the other big name scripted show for the series wasn't brought back, it doesn't necessarily bode well for its predecessor.

The Cast Doesn't Seem To Know Anything Either

The cast themselves haven't had much to say about the show's fifth season, and prior to their season finale airing, Park and William Moseley admitted in an interview with E! News that they hadn't yet heard whether or not they were returning for a fifth season.

"We feel the show can't end the way it ends," Moseley said at the time. "I'm not going to give anything away. It's only just the beginning."

Ratings Were Lower Than Normal

Despite the show's fans still being fervent supporters of the series, there was a dip in ratings for Season 4, according to TV Series Finale. The series saw a dip to a 0.16 rating in the 18-49 demographic with an average 401,000 viewers, which was a drop of 30 and 25 percent respectively. While "The Arrangement" season 2 saw a 38 percent decrease in the demos and a 36 percent decrease in actual viewers, which was a larger drop, it's not too far off from the drop "The Royals" faced. In general, drops in viewership don't usually make networks keen on bringing shows back, which is why the drop-off isn't a good thing.

There has still been no word from E! In regards to the show's status. A rep for the show did not respond to an International Business Times request for comment.