Following the broadcast of episode 10, viewers all over the world are engaging in heated debates online to figure out what the writers could have in store for us next. So, here are our theories and predictions about “Under The Queen’s Umbrella” that just make sense. Spoiler Alert!
1. Grand Prince SeongNam’s Birth Secret
Nothing screams “sageuk” like a good old birth secret trope. While in most cases, it is rather predictable, “Under The Queen’s Umbrella” does a spectacular job of veiling the truth with a sheer haze. The idea is developed from the very first episode rather than being abandoned and recalled as and when necessary, like a plot device. We know that Grand Prince SeongNam (Moon SangMin) grew up outside the palace for a good part of his childhood before the Crown Prince brought him back home. We also know that he was then intimidated by the Queen Dowager (Kim HaeSook) to keep his mouth shut and pretend not to know anything if he wants to survive inside the palace. In the more recent episodes, we find out that Grand Prince SeongNam was taken from his mother’s arms right after birth because he is an unlucky child who cannot belong to the royal genealogy. Banishing him to a faraway village was the only way the Queen could protect him and keep him alive. Naturally, there are no solid answers yet, but there are clues peppered in throughout. The most popular theory in discussion forums is that Grand Prince SeongNam is the fraternal twin brother of the Crown Prince (Bae InHyuk). It is also the hardest to prove, especially with their physical differences in the flashback scenes. The only way this theory is plausible is if we hold nurture and nourishment accountable for Grand Prince SeongNam’s slower growth while the Crown Prince appears taller. This theory also gives us a reason why he had to be removed from the palace. If “The King’s Affection” has taught us anything, giving birth to twins is seen as a misfortune, so it is only natural that one of the twins had to be eliminated. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to assume that the Queen Dowager wanted to kill off Grand Prince SeongNam but the Queen intervened, proposing to send him off to exile instead. Now, the question remains: why was Grand Prince SeongNam the chosen one and not the Crown Prince? Well, the answer lies in Grand Prince SeongNam’s iconic mole. In some interpretations, the mole on Grand Prince SeongNam’s neck can be said to indicate that he was destined to be the King. In other words, Grand Prince SeongNam has the saju or fortune of a King, and being the mother of a Crown Prince who is sure to ascend to the throne would amplify the Queen’s power manifold. It is also likely that this knowledge was exclusive to the Queen Dowager, hence the lack of interference in her actions. When Grand Prince SeongNam returns to the palace, it is possible that he heard about his real identity as the twin brother of the Crown Prince and was then coaxed to stay silent about it at all costs. This also explains why the Crown Prince trusts Grand Prince SeongNam with his life and his family. The twin theory breaks down when we bring in the fact that Grand Prince SeongNam was conceived during the mourning period for the late King, which adds to the fact of his disapproval because conjugal relations during that time go against filial piety, and as such, it would cast a dark shadow on the King. However, this cannot possibly be the sole reason why Grand Prince SeongNam was rejected. Similarly, it also doesn’t make sense for the Queen Dowager to banish Grand Prince SeongNam just because he threatens the rights of the Crown Prince. After all, the Queen Dowager isn’t quite fond of him either! The only explanation we see here is that both King Lee Ho and Queen HwaRyeong were unaware of the King’s death (which might have been orchestrated too) and were possibly even away from the palace when they conceived Grand Prince SeongNam. Seeing that she gave birth to another son, strengthening her foothold in the palace, the Queen Dowager used this as an excuse to get rid of him. The rumor that he is not the legitimate son of the King and Queen seems baseless, especially if we pay attention to their reactions. Considering the deep love and respect the King and the Queen have for each other, it is highly unlikely that either of them had an illegitimate child outside of wedlock. So, in our opinion, it is largely impossible that Grand Prince SeongNam is not of royal blood, unless he was adopted by the King and the Queen. Some other fan theories suggest that Grand Prince SeongNam is actually the son of Crown Prince TaeIn, but evidence in this regard is scarce. As for the taekhyeon, seeing that the child standing under the queen’s umbrella in the main poster of the drama is, in fact, Grand Prince SeongNam, there is no doubt that he is worthy of becoming the Crown Prince and perhaps even the King.
2. Consort Tae & Prince BoGeom - Where Do Their Loyalties Lie?
Consort Tae (Kim GaEun) was a maid for Queen HwaRyeong before she became a concubine to King Lee Ho. She doesn’t come from a powerful family and has almost no backing in the palace. However, her son Prince BoGeom (Kim MinGi) is the brightest of them all. In the initial episodes, Prince BoGeom’s behavior doesn’t show that he has soaring ambitions of becoming the next King. However, after being mistreated by his half-brothers, he develops a burning desire to prove them all wrong. In the second round of taekhyeon, Prince BoGeom ends up joining forces with Grand Prince SeongNam to bring Park GyeongU (Kim SeungSu) to the palace. It is there that he experiences brotherly love for the first time and decides to stand with Grand Prince SeongNam for the rest of his life. It is possible that this is also where Prince BoGeom lets go of his need to seek validation by becoming the Crown Prince, but that does not mean that he will not compete with sincerity. He will simply reject any unfair means that his mother suggests. In the meantime, Consort Tae is growing closer and closer to the Queen Dowager, who claims that she will support Prince BoGeom. However, knowing the Queen Dowager’s cunning nature, this is rather unbelievable. In her own words, Consort Tae is simple-minded and will do as she is told. After being unsuccessful in her attempt to kill Grand Prince SeongNam, the Queen Dowager now intends to use Consort Tae to get the job done indirectly. So, she instructs her to spread the rumor about Grand Prince SeongNam’s birth far and wide. From what we have seen so far, it is evident that Consort Tae spread the rumor, but we cannot rule out the possibility that it wasn’t really her and that some other sinister forces are at play. After all, Consort Tae doesn’t harbor hatred for the Queen. In fact, she used to adore her, and moreover, she has faith in her son’s skills. We’re still holding out hope that Consort Tae will be loyal to Queen HwaRyeong when it matters the most.
3. Who Is Prince UiSeong’s Father?
Prince UiSeong is the self-proclaimed first-born son of King Lee Ho. He maintains that his mother, Consort Hwang (Ok JaYeon) should have become the Queen, and the position of the Crown Prince should have been his. However, with Queen HwaRyeong being picked as the Queen, his chances are lost unless he takes them back by force. Now, it is a fact that Consort Hwang and Physician Kwon (Kim JaeBum) are having an affair, but the duration of their relationship is still a mystery. In this case, we cannot rule out the possibility that Prince UiSeong is, in reality, the son of Physician Kwon. The latest episode disclosed the information that Physician Kwon is in the middle of leading a rebellion against the King in cahoots with Master ToJi (Kwon HaeHyo) and Seo HamSeok (Tae WonSeock). Consort Hwang seems to be aware of this, which means that Kwon has taken her in confidence. However, if she knows that the King is going to be overthrown anyway, why is she working so hard to make Prince UiSeong the Crown Prince ahead of time? This can only mean that even Consort Hwang is in the dark with respect to the full plan and is merely being used by Physician Kwon as a pawn in his game. One clear instance of this is how Physician Kwon was recommended for the Crown Prince by Consort Hwang via Chief State Councilor Hwang WonHyeong (Kim EuiSung). By poisoning the Crown Prince through him, Consort Hwang merely wanted to delay his recovery. However, it kills him instead. Certainly, the poison that Kwon gave the Crown Prince was different from what Consort Hwang ordered (it might even be in the medicine that Master ToJi prescribed), and yet, the burden of his death hangs on Consort Hwang’s shoulder rather than this own. Another aspect that is worth noting here is that the character poster for Prince UiSeong and Consort Hwang shows the latter pouring into a cup that Prince UiSeong is holding. If we relate this to the concept of the Pythagorean cup that the Queen teaches Prince SimSo (Moon SungHyun) about, we can infer that the cup of Prince UiSeong’s tolerance is about to run over. Once he reaches his tipping point, he will implode, and it will be interesting to see the destruction he leaves in his wake.
4. Grand Prince SeongNam & Lady ChungHa’s Forbidden Romance
Lady ChungHa (Oh YeJu) is the daughter of the Minister of War, Yoon SooGwang (Jang HyunSung). She is smitten by Grand Prince SeongNam when she meets him serendipitously at a pharmacy and is determined to marry him. Their relationship develops when they meet once again while Grand Prince SeongNam is carrying out his assigned mission. She confesses to him sincerely, and it is clear that he feels the same way she does. Lady ChungHa softens Grand Prince SeongNam’s edges and adds color to his life. However, their romance is doomed from the start…or is it? As we know, Lady ChungHa is suffering from some sort of long-term illness. It isn’t clear what this illness is, but it makes her weak and probably has something to do with her heart. Worried that she might not live very long, her parents are lenient with her and put her happiness before anything else. When the Minister of War finds out that his daughter is in love with Grand Prince SeongNam, there are two possible outcomes: 1) he tells her to cut ties with him, or 2) he supports Grand Prince SeongNam to make him the Crown Prince. With the Queen warning him to stay neutral, number 2 is more likely. It was also revealed recently that Minister Yoon is the last surviving relative of the deposed Queen Yoon (Seo YiSook) in the palace. This also makes us wonder whether he is only pretending to be one of the Queen Dowager’s people while hatching a different conspiracy behind her back all along.
5. Queen Yoon’s Treason
King Lee Ho was enthroned by the Queen Dowager, who has Crown Prince TaeIn’s blood on her hands. She also murdered Queen Yoon’s remaining sons, except for one - who has a limp. Since he is disabled, there’s no chance of him sitting on the throne, which is probably why he was left alive. With this information, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to assume that Physician Kwon is Queen Yoon’s only living son, and that he is plotting treason to restore his mother to her rightful place. Not only is this motive enough for a revolt, but it also explains why Physician Kwon is leading the uprising. If Physician Kwon really is the son of Queen Yoon and Prince UiSeong is his son, that would automatically make Prince UiSeong the next Crown Prince if King Lee Ho is dethroned. The greatest matter of concern here is the favor that Queen HwaRyeong owes to the deposed Queen Yoon. In exchange for information about the passing of Crown Prince TaeIn and his struggle with hyeolheogwol, Queen (now, Consort) Yoon asked her to promise one thing and one thing only - that she will do her a single favor when the time comes, no questions asked. Not only is this promise unsettling but also foreshadows that it will put Queen HwaRyeong in a difficult position where she might have to choose between a rock and a hard place.
6. The King’s Bigger Plan
No matter how you see it, the deposed Queen Yoon’s plan is as perfect as it gets, but unfortunately, she hasn’t calculated her odds well enough because she has disregarded the greatest variables - the Princes. Grand Prince GyeSeong (Yoo SeonHo) singlehandedly uncovered the conspiracy and even knows where the armory is stored. His cognitive skills, combined with Grand Prince SeongNam’s competence and Prince BoGeom’s strategic mastery, are enough to bring the traitors down, or so we hope. In addition, the King also seems to be aware that Seo HamSeok is planning a revolt. By making the Princes escort Seo HamSeok and Park GyeongU back to the palace, the King arrests one of his biggest enemies and gets back his dearest friend, who assesses Grand Prince SeongNam and Prince BoGeom in the process. Moreover, Seo HamSeok, besides being a rebel, might be a double agent working for the King. His arrest will surely hasten the revolt, making the conspirators fall right into the King’s trap. By revealing the connection they have to the courtiers, King LeeHo will also be able to weed out his enemies from the court, thus strengthening his control over the throne.
7. Grand Prince MuAn & The Woman Of His Fate
After Grand Prince MuAn qualifies for the second round of taekhyeon, he takes the time to loiter around and meet his lover, Cho Wol (Jeon HyeWon). On the way, he meets a face reader to ask if he has the face of a king. He’s told that he definitely does not, but he has great luck in romance and will soon meet 2 women - one of whom will bring him the greatest gift, far more precious than all the world’s riches. He reiterates that he must recognize her - the woman of his fate. Moments later, he stumbles across Lady ChungHa and tells her about the whereabouts of his brother, Grand Prince SeongNam. Next, he meets Cho Wol, and the two reconcile. The next morning, Queen HwaRyeong discovers them in a compromising position and advises Cho Wol against giving her heart to Grand Prince MuAn, who only wants her as a concubine. Cho Wol remains strong in her resolve to love Grand Prince MuAn no matter what, which reminds the Queen of how she started Hyewolgak because of her. It is also implied that when the Queen was pregnant with Grand Prince MuAn and Cho Wol’s mother was pregnant with her, hearing the name “Cho Wol” made him kick. Talk about star-crossed lovers! Court Lady Shin even remarks that Cho Wol must be fated to be in the Queen’s life. Now, if that’s not a prophecy for the future, we don’t know what is! Now, Grand Prince MuAn might not have the face of a King, but with his grand luck in romance, his future wife might just give birth to the future Crown Prince. This is not to say that something terrible will happen to Grand Prince SeongNam or that Grand Prince MuAn will ascend the throne. It might just so happen that the future King births daughters! Given that MuAn and Cho Wol spent the night together (not for the first time, might we add), she might already be pregnant! The Queen sees herself in Cho Wol to some extent, which awakens her protective instinct, but we can rest assured that she will not oppose their relationship. She might reprimand Grand Prince MuAn every now and then, but that’s only to raise him as a responsible and dependable young man so that he may take care of Cho Wol properly. It is highly unlikely that Lady ChungHa is the woman of Grand Prince MuAn’s fate, but with the face reader’s prediction, it probably isn’t just a coincidence that the two met. Unless “Under The Queen’s Umbrella” decides to take a slightly makjang turn, there will not be a “Transit Love” situation here, but Lady ChungHa will probably have a big role to play in Grand Prince MuAn’s life later on in the narrative. However, since we’re down the rabbit hole anyway, it is a tragic possibility that Lady ChungHa will be married off to Grand Prince MuAn after Grand Prince SeongNam’s royal lineage is denied, and Cho Wol will remain his concubine. At the end of the day, Grand Prince SeongNam will be left thinking of ChungHa every time he sees a beautiful sunrise.
8. The Return Of The Grand Heir
Before passing away, the Crown Prince asked Queen HwaRyeong to stay strong and protect his family - the same thing he asked of Grand Prince SeongNam. To keep this promise, Queen HwaRyeong helped the Crown Princess escape the palace and raise her son safely outside. However, she also said that she will call them back to the palace when the time comes. If and when it is proven that the late Crown Prince was poisoned, the former Crown Princess and her son might be restored to their rightful positions. In case Grand Prince SeongNam becomes the Crown Prince by then, he might even secede from the position to give way to the Grand Heir while he lives happily ever after with Lady ChungHa (ideally). Either way, the likelihood of seeing older versions of the characters we have come to love and adore, especially the Grand Heir, is quite high, and with that comes the exciting prospect of cameos. We cannot wait to see how our lovely Princes will look when they get older! Are you watching “Under The Queen’s Umbrella”? What are some of your theories about the show? Share them with Kpopmap in the comments section down below!
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