Julia Schlaepfer, who plays Alexandra Dutton in 1923 explains how the shocking royalty reveal at the end of season 1 will affect her character’s journey in season 2, set to premiere on Paramount+ on February 23. Before the Yellowstone prequel wrapped season 1, it’s revealed that Alex is the Countess of Sussex, a former member of the British Royal Family, when Spencer (Brandon Sklenar) is being thrown off the oceanliner, and she promises her new husband that she’ll find him.
Schlaepfer talks to TVLine about how this shocking revelation will impact Alex’s story arc in season 2. The star clarifies that Alex didn’t intentionally hide her royal lineage in the show because “she doesn’t want that title” or any connection to her royal family, and instead, she wants to “leave it behind.” Schlaepfer further explains that Alex’s commitment is with Spencer and “be a part of the Dutton family.” Check out what she said below:
It’s funny. When I began that journey, filming Season 1 with Brandon [Sklenar, who plays Spencer] in Africa, and you’re telling this grand love story, I kind of forgot I was an actor. And I think Alexandra forgets [about being royalty] because she doesn’t want that title. She doesn’t want to be a caged bird.
She’s been very oppressed by this family, who won’t let her decide what she wants to do with her life or who she’s allowed to love. And as soon as she meets Spencer and finds a way out, she’s gone, and she leaves it behind.
Julia also left it behind. And I was a bit shocked in the Season 1 finale to hear that, as well, because you kind of forget along the way!
She [Alex] has made a commitment, in marrying Spencer, to be a part of the Dutton family. That is her main priority, to devote herself and prove her loyalty to this new love and this new family she has married into and chosen to be a part of.
What Schlaepfer’s Comment Means For Alex In 1923 Season 2
Alex Has No Interest In Going Back To Her Royal Family
Alex’s royal lineage in the 1923 season 1 finale is a shocking twist that many didn’t see coming. Schlaepfer’s comment addresses the question of why Alex has made no reference to her royal upbringing to Spencer until it’s forced out as a revelation. With Alex on her journey to establish herself as an independent person apart from the family she was born in, it’s likely that her royal lineage is less important compared to the person she’s trying to become with Spencer.
The way that season 1 ended suggests that there’ll be more scenes revolving around Alex’s royal family in the upcoming season. As 1923’s season 2 official trailer teased, Spencer’s journey home is one of the main storylines, but the couple’s reunion faces many obstacles. Alex is grabbed by a mysterious man in the trailer, while Spencer is running out of time. Schlaepfer’s comment confirms that Alex has no interest in giving up her marriage to Spencer and will do everything in her power to join him in Montana.
Our Take On Alex’s Fate In 1923 Season 2
It Doesn’t Change Things Between Alex & Spencer
With Spencer at the crossroad, it’s likely that Alex may have to rely on her own wits and strength to fight her way to Montana. The 1923 season 2 trailer doesn’t promise that they’ll be reunited, leaving both their fates in uncertainty. However, it’s unlikely that the revelation will change their feelings for each other. Sklenar has also weighed in on how Spencer is reacting to the news, and according to the star, he doesn’t think Spencer “gives a s**t” about Alex’s royal lineage.
It’s interesting that Alexandra, the Countess of Sussex, is a real person, though the Yellowstone show creator Taylor Sheridan has clarified that the character isn’t based on the real Alexandra due to the fact that 1923 isn’t a historical show. It doesn’t rule out the possibility that Sheridan might bring more real-life elements into Alex’s backstory. On the other hand, Princess Alexandra is clearly not Alex Dutton. She married a businessman named Angus Ogilvy, who was approved by her family and was knighted in 1988.