SOMETHING interesting and unexpected is happening on the late-morning drama series, “Princess in the Palace”: Its “presidential” protagonist, Leona (Eula Valdez), has just concluded her six-year term, and has gone back to her family’s ancestral home. The expectation is that now that her official tenure is over, the series will be winding up its storytelling shortly.
However, recent developments suggest that there may be dramatic life after Malacañang Palace—not just for Leona, but also for some of the series’ principal characters, especially her mother, Doña Victorina (Boots Anson-Roa).
When the series started, the character’s name said it all: She was ambitious, had ulterior motives galore, looked down on others, and generally loved playing her part as the show’s resident “beautiful irritant.”
Change of heart
Later on, however, she was made to have a change of heart, tearfully regretting her conspiratorial ways of old. She was also sent on a vacation abroad, where she presumably had more time to reflect on her past “doña/diva” proclivities, and thus become an even better person.
So, when she returned to the show last week, Leona’s mother was the very soul of repentant and retroactive goodness. Even more remarkably, she looked fresh, revitalized and truly lovely, making her loved ones wonder if she had drunk from the Fountain of Youth in the course of her extended sojourn.
Last Wednesday, she finally divulged her “beauty secret”: Taking her cue from Boots in real life, Victorina had—fallen in love!
The boffo bombshell had a positive effect and impact on viewers, who were disarmed by the show’s clever “dovetailing” of Boots’ real “love the second time around” story with her character’s “mirroring” plot twist.
No, it doesn’t look like the series is about to end, because viewers want to know much more about this new “chapter” in Victorina’s revitalized life and romantic prospects.
Will we get to meet the lucky guy? How old or young is he? Who will portray him? Will their still developing love story end up at the altar?
Will there be a double wedding with Leona also finally pledging her troth to her own chosen life partner (Christian Vasquez), despite the roller-coaster turbulence of their “presidential” romance?
Is there dramatic life after Malacañang Palace? Abangan ang susunod na kasalan (?!).