Imagine being a simple girl living in Kattegat. It seems as if Lady Luck is always on your side: people never bother you, there's always enough food in your pantry, the traders always offer you good prices. Rumor has it, you have a guardian angel in the form of a prince head over heels for you.
Most people would call it an open secret: something that is, commonly, well known but not publicly acknowledged. Others would simply call it a rumor, as they did not believe the story they were told, be it jealousy or skepticism. Either way, no matter whether someone believed it or not, pretty much every set of ears in Kattegat has heard about prince Ubbe's infatuation with a regular girl.