What 'royalty' was back in history was the police force and military of society. That job was not very easy nor very safe.

Healthy Sons were thrown into the stables at riducously early ages to learn to ride and take care of horses and then swung a sword all day long. Weak sons were despised and cast aside.

William Marshall's father response when demanded that they lift a siege or his son dies, "Go ahead and kill him, don't I have the hammer and anvil (His wife) to forge new and better ones."

Nothing was easy back then especially being a noble. The strong took what they wanted, the weak kept what they could, that includes the nobility.