This article is about Prince Charming and Snow White's home from Once Upon a Time. For the castle from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, see The Prince's Castle.
- “You wanna see where you're from, Emma? That's right. We're going home.”
- ―Mary Margret to Emma Swan[src]
The Royal Castle (also known as The Prince's Castle) is a location featured in the ABC fantasy series, Once Upon a Time. It is located in the Enchanted Forest and first appears in the first episode of the first season. It is based on the Prince's castle from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
History[]
Before the First Curse[]
Many, many, many years before the events of the series, Prince James is given to King George after David's parents make a deal with Rumplestiltskin where James is sent to live with and raised by King Midas while David is raised by Ruth after his father mysteriously dies.
Years later, the castle comes the home of Prince David (aka Prince Charming) and his wife Snow White following their marriage. Even with the threats of the Evil Queen, Snow and David learn they have having a child with the dark curse coming, Snow gives birth and they are forced to send their new baby, named Emma, into the wardrobe Geppetto built for them. Emma goes through to the land without magic, while David fights off the queen's guards as the curse takes them to Storybrooke, leaving the castle abandoned for years.
After the First Curse[]
28 years after the curse, a grown up Emma breaks it and frees everyone as they are now able to remember who they are and their past lives as fairytale characters, and David and Snow learn that Emma is their baby all grown up. However, the family reunion is short lived as Emma gets pulled into a wormhole and Snow and Charming try to follow her. Snow is successful, while David is unable to get through as the portal closes.
Snow and Emma find themselves in the Enchanted Forest where they meet Cora Mills, Regina's mother - who in Snow's words - has done far, fair worse imaginable things than Regina ever did - and they are freed by Lancelot, an old friend of Snow's, whom she reunites with after many years. Snow and Emma earn Lancelot's people survived the curse as it did not affect their part of the world. Snow and Emma are desperate to return home and Lancelot tells them about a portal to send Emma and Snow home, but they don't know exactly where it is. Snow quickly figures out where one should be and brings along , with Lancelot's advice, to take Mulan with them. The three soon meet Aurora, who also joins them as orders by Mulan, who is protecting the princess, ordered by her prince Phillip.
After travelling for a long time, Emma and Snow finally reach the castle and search for the enchanted wardrobe that transported an infant Emma to the real world. Emma and Snow share an emotional moment together as Snow tells Emma of all the plans she had to raise her here, until the curse took effect and stopped this from happening. Lancelot then appears, but makes Snow suspicious due to his body language. Just as Emma and Snow are about to activate the wardrobe, Lancelot is revealed to actually be Cora, which Snow figured out because "Lancelot" mentioned Henry's name and Snow and Emma remember that they only ever told Cora about Henry, not Lancelot. Cora reveals she killed Lancelot a long time ago and plans to travel to Storybrooke to reunite with her daughter, Regina. To ensure this does not happen, Emma destroys the wardrobe - their only way home - and Cora leaves. Emma apologizes to her mother for ruining their only chances, but she couldn't let Cora get to Henry. Snow understands and they agree to find another way home, together. The mother-daughter duo share an emotional moment as Emma tells Snow she is not used to other people putting her first, to which Snow tells Emma to get used to it. As Emma leaves, Snow tearfully looks back at the nursery and breaks down in tears before following Emma out.
During the Fourth Curse[]
After the Black Fairy casts her curse, Snow White, Charming, Killain and their allies return to the Enchanted Forest, where they have to come up with a way to get Emma - who is under the curse - to not lose her belief in the fairytales and magic, as the Black Fairy, named Fiona, is trying to get Emma to not believe in fairytales. For unknown reasons, when the heroes return to the castle, it is no longer in ruins and waking up confused and concerned for Emma and Henry, who are not present, Regina notes the Black Fairy's panache in taking them from Emma and Hook's wedding to the part of the castle where Snow and David were married some time before they themselves were cursed. Snow shows confidence that they will beat this curse and she and the others depart for the queen's palace.
After the Sixth Curse[]
After Regina unites all the realms, she is elected the ruler, named the Good Queen. Zelena brings her sister to the castle as a surprise along with Henry, where Snow and David crown Regina as their ruler. As Regina is at the altar, she asks where Emma and Hook are, but Snow informs her that their infant daughter, Hope, is fussy so they can't come. However, Emma, Killian and baby Hope enter and apologise for being late. Regina is pleased to see them and Snow asks if they can continue with the coronation. Emma apologises to her mother and Snow continues. Regina is officially given the title of "Good Queen" and declared the ruler of the United Realms. Regina hugs all the attendees and Emma tells her she finally got her happy ending. Regina declares that instead of it being a happy ending, she considers it a second chance. Regina gives a heartfelt speech about the ups and downs of life, and that those moments are what make people who they are.
Trivia[]
- The castle served as the basis for the prince's castle in Hyperion Heights from the episode with the same name.[1]
- Despite being destroyed by the time of Emma breaking the first curse, the castle is shown to be intact by the time of the final season. It is never explained as to how the castle was rebuilt so easily, but considering the seventh season takes place many years following the final battle, it appears lots of work was done - likely though the use of magic - on the castle to get it back to it's original and full form.
