(upbeat music)
- [Narrator] The Princess Switch 2 Switched Again,
starring Vanessa Hudgens is the sequel
to 2018 The Princess Switch,
where a Baker from Chicago switches
places with a Royal Duchess who looks exactly like her.
An ordinary person sneaking into Royal life is no easy task,
but could it really happen?
This tale of identical strangers
from different social classes Switching places
is loosely inspired by Mark Twain,
The Prince And The Pauper.
- Do I really need to explain?
- [Narrator] Published in 1881 and set in 1547, England,
this morality tale about social inequality
and judging others by their appearance,
follows two identical boys.
One from unfortunate circumstances, and one a Prince,
as they trade places.
- We can't just stop everything and swap lives.
- Why not?
- [Narrator] When Tom, the pauper tries and fails
to blend in with the customs and manners of the Royal court,
his fellow Nobles think the Prince has become ill.
- Stacy says she has a headache.
She can't go.
- Mmh, and she was fine 10 Minutes ago?
- [Narrator] Similarly in the Princess Switch,
Margaret's family becomes suspicious
of the Duchess's odd behavior.
Proving that hiding your identity
from the Royals can be tricky.
- Dear, Oxford green.
- Oh, it talks with blue.
- I'm color blind.
- [Narrator] The princess switches, Stacy and Margaret,
discover that they're two identical strangers
with very different lives.
But how likely is it that someone could have a twin stranger
somewhere out there or even a triplet?
- who's upstairs?
And where's my wife.
- [Narrator] The concept of the doppelganger in mythology,
meaning double Walker in German,
is a supernatural being that acts as an ominous omen,
bringing bad luck.
Today, the word encompasses
any set of strangers who look alike.
- So glad you taught me into switching places.
- [Narrator] The idea of a twin being
is found in many cultures.
In ancient Egypt, the concept of the car
was thought to be a spiritual essence or astral being
that existed alongside the body,
but remained individual, almost like a double.
- I'm so happy you're here.
- [Narrator] With more than seven billion people
in the world, the idea that a total stranger
could be your twin sounds unlikely,
but it's actually more possible than you might think.
According to genetics research,
the odds that someone out there resembles you
are actually pretty good.
Any two random people share roughly 99.5%
of their gene sequence.
Two strangers could share as much DNA as cousins.
- Off with their heads.
(chuckles)
- [Narrator] With social media
and facial recognition software,
more people are finding their unrelated twins online.
while your twin might not be royalty,
they could be out there,
if you need to switch lives.
- Must we really do this?
- (mumbles) didn't happen.
- [Narrator] After switching places,
both Margaret and Stacy find love.
Stacy with Prince Edward
and Margaret with everyday Prince Kevin.
- Princess of Belgravia
- Thank you.
- [Narrator] Marrying into or out of a Royal family,
tends to make waves.
But how often does it happen in real life?
The list of commoners who have married into royalty
is actually kind of long.
- I don't know, a fantasy can feel quite cozy
when you share it with people you love.
- I suppose it can.
- [Narrator] The most recent example
of an average citizen marrying into royalty
is American actress, Meghan Markle's 2018 marriage
to Prince Harry of the British Royal family.
Royal life wasn't always smooth sailing
as Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior members
of the Royal family in early 2020 and moved to the US.
- Oh God!
- I don't know if it is.
- [Narrator] Harry's brother, Prince William,
famously married Kate Middleton in 2011.
Kate was the first non-Royal in 350 years
to marry a Prince in close proximity to the British throne.
Another American who famously became royalty
was Hollywood actress, Grace Kelly,
who became princess of Monaco
after marrying Prince Rainier in 1956.
- Look you're a princess now.
- [Narrator] In Japan, in 1960, princess Takako Suga,
daughter of Japanese emperor, Hirohito,
married a non-Royal financial analyst.
The marriage resulted in the princess giving up
her Imperial title and status.
These are just a few examples of royalty mixing
with the common people.
Proving that real life fairytales are more common
than you might expect.
While finding Royal love
or meeting your doppelganger might be rare,
they are events that can happen in real life.
The Princess Switch 2 Switched Again,
might not exactly be a true story,
but it's based on experiences that can and do happen.
What's your opinion on the odds of finding your double
or having your own Royal love affair?
Let's know in the comments below
and watch The Princess Switch 2 Switched Again,
on Netflix now.