Picture of Princ found in the video, ‘🇷🇸 PRINC – MILA (INTERVIEW) @ Madrid PrePartyES 2025 // Serbia Eurovision 2025′ by the Youtube channel, eurovoxx. Serbian Flag image created by ibrandify at Freepik Image by ibrandify on Freepik
Last August, I wrote an editorial explaining why Stefan “Princ” Zdravković should appear on the television show, Miss Scarlet and The Duke. In that editorial, I referenced Auggie’s precept from R.J. Palacio’s book, Wonder, where Auggie states, “Everyone deserves a standing ovation because we all overcometh the world”. But I also said in order for a “standing ovation” to take place, the person in question has to want it. Throughout this Eurovision season, Princ has put the time, talent, effort, and energy into striving toward that “standing ovation”. After being chosen to represent Serbia in the song contest, Princ released a music video of the re-vamped version of his song, “Mila”. Within two weeks, that video received 1.1 million views, affording Princ a place in the top 20 of Eurovision’s Top 20 Most Watched videos of March 2025. Since then, Princ’s music video has received 1.8 million views in a month. On Eurovision’s Youtube channel, you’ll find Princ’s French cover of “Mila” and his cover of Måns Zelmerlöw’s song, “Heroes”, with both videos receiving positive reception. Princ has also received positive reception for his Eurovision pre-party performances at Eurovision In Concert, London Eurovision Party, and Madrid PrePartyES. He was even given a desirable running order spot in Eurovision’s second semi-final, competing toward the end of the semi-final at number 15. However, these achievements do not guarantee a coveted place in the Grand Final. This is where you come in. If you’re planning on or thinking about participating in televoting during Eurovision’s second semi-final, please consider giving Princ as many televotes as possible. You would not only help Princ take one step closer to receiving his “standing ovation”, you would also help Princ take one step closer to making his childhood vision come true, as he said in an interview, “I actually visualized myself winning Eurovision as a kid”. I truly believe Princ is a stronger representative than some people give him credit for. So, please consider giving Princ (number 15) televotes on May 15th!
Here’s a list of videos and articles to check out if you want to support Princ:
From the Youtube channel of Eurovision Song Contest:
— How the winner is decided – Eurovision Song Contest 2025 | #Eurovision2025
— Princ – Heroes (Måns Zelmerlöw Cover) | Serbia 🇷🇸 | #EurovisionALBM
— Princ – Mila (French Version) | Serbia 🇷🇸 | #EurovisionALBM
— Princ – Mila | Serbia 🇷🇸 | Official Music Video | #Eurovision2025
— Meet Princ (Short)
— Eurovision Top 20 Most Watched: March 2025 | #Eurovision2025
From the Youtube channel of wiwbloggs:
— 🇷🇸 Princ “Mila” (Serbia 2025) – LIVE @ London Eurovision Party 2025
— 🇷🇸 Princ “Mila” INTERVIEW | London Eurovision Party 2025
— 🇷🇸 Princ – “Mila” (Serbia 2025) – LIVE @ Eurovision In Concert 2025
From the Youtube channel of eurovoxx:
— 🇷🇸 PRINC – MILA (INTERVIEW) @ Madrid PrePartyES 2025 // Serbia Eurovision 2025
— 🇷🇸 PRINC – MILA (INTERVIEW) // London Eurovision Party 2025 // Serbia Eurovision 2025
This year, I was introduced to the television show, Miss Scarlet and The Duke, a mystery program airing as part of the PBS Masterpiece collection. While I have enjoyed watching the show, I believe it’s missing one person; Stefan “Princ” Zdravković. For those who don’t know, Stefan “Princ” Zdravković is a musical artist who tried to represent Serbia’s delegation of Eurovision by competing in the delegation’s national contest, Pesma za Evroviziju (also known as PZE). The more I watched Miss Scarlet and The Duke, the more I saw how Stefan “Princ” Zdravković could appear on the show. Therefore, I am presenting four key reasons why he should appear on Miss Scarlet and The Duke! Before I share my reasons, I want to give a reminder how any decisions about whether Stefan “Princ” Zdravković appears on the show are up to Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team and Stefan “Princ” Zdravković himself, who I will be referring to as “Princ” throughout this editorial. Though I am aware the show is changing its name to Miss Scarlet from season five and onward, I will continue to call the program Miss Scarlet and The Duke in this article.
Pictures of Stefan “Princ” Zdravković found in the videos, ‘Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023’ and ‘PRINC – Cvet sa Istoka (INTERVIEW) // Pesma za Evroviziju 2023 // Serbia Eurovision 2023’ by the Youtube channels, wiwibloggs and eurovoxx. Images of Miss Scarlet and the Duke found on IMDB and created by Element 8 Entertainment, A+E Studios, 87 Films, Alibi Channel, and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
Recruiting Local Talent
Since season two, Miss Scarlet and The Duke has filmed in Serbia. This decision has caused the show’s creative team to build their story’s world from scratch. According to the Executive Producer, Patty Lenahan Ishimoto, “Basically what ended up happening was we just built London. Anything that we couldn’t find, we built”. The decision to film in Serbia has also provided opportunities for Serbians to get involved with the program, either in front of the camera or behind it. Princ is from Serbia, specifically from Vranje. If he were to appear on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, he would receive an opportunity to, essentially, work within his own backyard. If any episodes were filmed on location, such as (for example) a part of the story taking place around Vranje’s White Bridge, Princ may also work in an environment he’s familiar with.
Miss Scarlet and The Duke will soon embark on its fifth season. During the show’s four-year lifespan, a fanbase from both the U.K. and the U.S. has been garnered, with the show providing reasons for the audience to return. But Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team are not the only ones with built-in enthusiasm. When Princ competed in PZE last March, he not only qualified for PZE’s Final, he ended up receiving second place. Princ even received more televote points than Luke Black, the artist who was chosen to represent Serbia at Eurovision. To put Princ’s score into perspective, he acquired a higher score at last year’s PZE Final than Konstrakta did at this year’s PZE Final. For those who don’t know, Konstrakta represented Serbia at Eurovision in 2022. She qualified for Eurovision’s Grand Final, where she received fifth place. Going into 2024’s edition of PZE, Konstrakta had more name-recognition and built-in enthusiasm than Princ did in 2023. In his interview with the Youtube channel, Wiwibloggs, Princ said “I’m probably more famous in Bulgaria, actually, right now”. But, as I previously mentioned, Princ’s score in the PZE Final was higher than Konstrakta’s. He also obtained more televote points than Konstrakta, not only in PZE’s Final, but in the contest’s Semi-Finals as well. These numbers present an example of how there are people, including myself, who would be enthusiastic if Princ appeared on Miss Scarlet and The Duke.
In this chart of the PZE Final scores from 2023 and 2024, I highlight each competitor’s televote points, which were received from the audience. Also highlighted are Princ’s and Konstrakta’s overall scores in the PZE Final. PZE scores found on the website, Eurovision World.
This chart highlights the televote scores from Princ’s and Konstrakta’s semi-finals in PZE. Semi-Final scores found on the website, Eurovision World.
Work With What You’ve Got
In Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s second episode from season two, ‘The Black Moth’, William ‘The Duke’ Wellington, one of the show’s protagonists, tells Eliza Scarlet, the show’s other protagonist, to “use what you have to your advantage” in order to stand out as London’s only female detective. William’s advice could also be given to Princ if he appeared on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as he possesses skills, talents, and attributes that would work in his favor. Like I have mentioned in this editorial, Princ is a musical artist. He not only has versatile singing vocals, he is also a talented guitarist. Perhaps he could perform a song in an episode or create a song for the show. Princ is also a marital artist with a black belt in karate. Marital arts have, so far, not been incorporated onto Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as fist-fighting and boxing have been the only fighting styles included in the show’s action scenes. Featuring martial arts in Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s story would bring something new to the show’s table as well as provide Princ with material to work with, as he would master the fight choreography. Miss Scarlet and The Duke establishes a world where characters with tattoos exist. When examining a specific tattoo in the first season’s second episode, ‘The Woman in Red’, Eliza says about the tattoo “It gave insight to a person’s past. Perhaps a badge of belonging like to the Navy or a quiet rebellion hidden on one’s body for one’s eyes only”. Princ has several tattoos on his arms, including one on his left forearm that appears to be a series of pine/Christmas trees. The inclusion of, at least, one of Princ’s tattoos in the show’s story could be used to serve a character’s backstory or symbolize a MacGuffin/clue. However, this specific idea is dependent on if Princ is comfortable with his real-life tattoos being incorporated onto the show.
In this photo, I point out the tattoo I referenced in this editorial. Photo found in the video, ‘Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023’ by Youtube channel, wiwibloggs
Steps Toward Eurovision
In some of his interviews, Princ has expressed a desire to compete in Eurovision. He said in his interview with Youtuber, Alesia Michelle, “I actually visualized myself winning Eurovision as a kid”. While you’re reading my editorial, you’re probably wondering, “If Princ wants to go to Eurovision, why would he spend his time working on Miss Scarlet and The Duke? What does one have to do with the other?” Miss Scarlet and The Duke broadcasts on Alibi, a U.K. channel owned by BBC Studios. BBC is the official broadcaster of the U.K. delegation of Eurovision. Princ is affiliated with the Serbian delegation of Eurovision through his participation in PZE. If he still desires to compete in Eurovision, Princ could use these connections, as well as his experience appearing on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as a networking opportunity to get one step closer to Eurovision. This could be achieved by either finding people who could lead him in the right direction toward the song contest or by meeting people who could become vital members of his technical/artistic team. For example, Princ could collaborate with someone from Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s cinematography department to create a music video or figure out the most optimal camera angles for a live performance. Another example is Princ could receive advice from the show’s wardrobe department to achieve the most photogenic appearance for not only a live performance, but for other Eurovision related events, such as the Turquoise Carpet.
I’ve made it a habit on 18 Cinema Lane to try to give more underrated people, characters, films, and topics their “standing ovation” because, according to Auggie from Wonder, “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. But, as I said in April, in order for a “standing ovation” to take place, the person in question has to want it. Based on what I’ve observed, Princ is working toward that “standing ovation”. He’s even willing to deal with rejection and disappointment to make that “standing ovation” a reality. Princ could receive his “standing ovation” by appearing on Miss Scarlet and The Duke. It’s a situation where those involved with the program, including the fans, would benefit as well. In his interview with Alesia Michelle, when asked if he knew any of the fellow competitors of 2023’s PZE, Princ replied “So I think that, uh, supporting each other is very important”. Through this editorial, I’m hoping someone, either from Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team or even a Eurovision delegation, recognizes Princ’s talent as well as his potential for success and provides him with the support to not only make his dreams come true, but to also finally give Princ his “standing ovation”!
18 Cinema Lane 