When I started bringing life to the people of Ilium Ridge, Paris and Helen were among the easiest to characterize. I immediately saw them as a former-day version of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, whose love (or whatever it was) led to a constitutional crisis, not to mention mythic tales of forbidden lust.

Looking back at the Iliad only confirmed this impression. Paris is depicted as vain, cowardly, and driven by personal pleasure rather than honor. He avoids combat when possible and relies on others, especially Hector, to clean up his mess. And he initiates the Trojan War by abducting Helen, an act of selfish passion that leads to years of suffering on both sides. Similarly, Edward’s decision to abdicate, and his flirtation with Hitler, shows his opportunism and willingness to jeopardize his homeland for his own personal desires.

I admit that I have been less fair to the original Helen. While she did, of course, start the war by running away with Paris, Helen is conflicted—both regretful and resigned about her role in the war. She is aware of the suffering she has caused but also feels trapped in her circumstances. My Helen, like Wallis, is committed only to the pleasures of the moment: drinking, dancing and, most of all, the thrill of seeing men die for her. She gets her wish, at a cost.

In writing this, it made me think of other royal black sheep. It seems that in every generation since Edward, there has been a rebel in the ruling monarch’s family. From Margaret to Andrew to Harry, the royals have always needed an evil twin to keep things interesting and the family’s name in the papers. It looks like Louis is next in line for that role. How will he earn it?