The Next Prince

Synopsis

In the kingdom of Emmaly, the heirs of the Assavadevathin, Bhuchongpisut, Davichmetha and Meenanagarin noble families spar in a fencing tournament to decide which of their fathers will become the next prince to the throne. In light of his deteriorating health, the current king sends Charan, his most trusted palace guard, to retrieve his grandson Khanin Assavadevathin, who grew up abroad without knowing his true identity. As Khanin gets used to his new life in the palace, Charan is by his side to help him prepare for the royal competition and to protect Khanin from those who want to harm him. With time, the two gradually form a strong bond that trascends their duties and fall in love.

Cast and characters

Chawarin Perdpiriyawong (NuNew) as Khanin Assavadevathin, a royal prince who has been raised as a commoner in London

Chaiyaphat Eaksamutchai as child Khanin

Pruk Panich (Zee) as Charan Phithakthewa, a royal guard serving the Assavadevathin family who teaches art at Morpheus University

Pannawit Tritsadee as child Charan

Nirut Sirijanya as Thipokbowon Assavadevathin, the current sovereign of Emmaly and Khanin's grandfather

Karn Kritsanaphan (Jimmy) as Ramil Bhuchongpisut, a royal prince

Thanakrit Chiamchunya (Ohm) as Paitay Ronawee, the Ministry of Defense's son and Ramil's confidant

Siraphop Manithikhun (Net) as Calvin, a foreign prince from Bhujar

Radchapon Phornpinit (JJ) as Jay Jirat, an art student at Morpheus University

Maethanee Buranasiri as Chana Davichmetha, the western capital ruler and Ava's father

Phurit Prombandal as Wasin Meenanagarin, the southern capital ruler

Saksit Tangthong as Thatdanai Keerakul, a royal guard who raised Khanin as his son

Phollawat Manuprasert as Tharin Assavadevathin, the northern capital ruler and Khanin's biological father

Teerapong Leowrakwong as Rachata Bhuchongpisut, the eastern capital ruler and Ramil's father

Production

Development

After starring together in Cutie Pie in 2022, Chawarin Perdpiriyawong and Pruk Panich were asked by their company CEO Aoftionz Kittipat Champa what kind of series they would have liked to be in next, and Panich expressed his wish to play a royal guard. Champa then asked Ceo and Ennice to write a book about it, and the characters of the original novel were based on the two actors. The production of the TV series The Next Prince was announced on December 13, 2022 as part of Domundi's 2023 line-up, with Chawarin Perdpiriyawong and Pruk Panich set to play prince Khanin and his royal guard Charan.

The budget was then reported to be more than 30 million baht, but ultimately neared nine figures because the production team had to create all the necessary props and make the locations seem foreign, as the series is set in the fictional country of Emmaly. In an interview with Workpoint Today, Perdpiriyawong estimated the budget at around 120 million baht. As the novel was too short for a 14-episode series, the TV adaptation added new elements to the plot. To prepare for their roles, the cast had to learn fencing, and Perdpiriyawong also took piano, dancing and archery lessons. The costumes, of which almost 100 for prince Khanin, were designed by Unkuniya, while the background score was recorded by a full orchestra.

After a worship ceremony held on July 18, filming started in Thailand on August 19, 2024 and ended on July 16, 2025. The production team did not buy stock footage for the scenes set in England, but asked for the help of a local team, who used the same equipment of the Thailand crew to film on-site. Locations include the Mövenpick Resort Khao Yai in the Nakhon Ratchasima province, Northeast Thailand; Chatuchak Market; La Chapelle Bangkok in Tha Raeng; Pattaya, and Finsbury Square, London.

Teetut Chungmanirat (Thomas) and Kongpob Jirojmontri had initially been cast as Calvin and Jay, respectively, but withdrew on August 30, 2024 due to scheduling conflicts between filming The Next Prince and Your Sky, another Domundi series in which they starred as leads. On October 30, Siraphop Manithikhun (Net) and Radchapon Phornpinit (JJ) joined the production as their replacements.

Marketing

Together with the announcement of the series in December 2022, a short pilot teaser was disclosed to the public. An 8-minute pilot trailer was subsequently released on March 31, 2024. The official trailer was released on March 11, 2025. The first episode was partially screened to the press and attending fans during the series' premiere at Iconsiam on April 26, 2025; on the same day, a behind-the-scene documentary was released on IQIYI and Mandee's YouTube channel. A public screening was held for episodes 7 and 14 alongside the cast and crew, together with an exhibition of costumes and props used during the series.

Original soundtrack

The Next Prince Original Score

Reception

The Next Prince has been complimented for its compelling storyline, chemistry between leads, and high production values. The Thai Post defined it "spectacular and meticously detailed." The series trended at #1 on X in Thailand and worldwide every week during its run, and was a trending topic in more than 29 countries. It also ranked #1 in terms of views on the IQIYI app. In Japan, it was the third most watched boys' love series in the first half of 2025 on Rakuten TV.