Who’s the Queen of Palm Beach? ‘Members Only’ Ladies Rank Cast Members’ Social Standing
Exclusive
From Gale Brophy‘s “Book of Legacy” to the underlying fear of being “blacklisted,” it’s clear that social-climbing in Palm Beach society is not for the faint of heart.
Following the premiere of Members Only: Palm Beach, TV Insider sat down with the series’s leading ladies, Hilary Musser, Taja Abitbol, Rosalyn Yellin, Ro-mina Ustayev, and Maria Cozamanis, to find out the answer to Season 1’s most pressing question: Who is the true queen of Palm Beach?
“Tradition is ingrained in Palm Beach society, and there’s always going to be hierarchy. It just happens to be a culture here in Palm Beach. That’s the allure of Palm Beach,” Maria said. While some of the ladies were quick to rank their fellow castmates, giving their honest hot takes on where each stands on the social ladder, others argued that their status is constantly changing. At the same time, one cast member went as far as to say that talking about social standing at all is taboo. She told TV Insider, “Candidly, if you have class, you don’t talk about a social ladder.”
Buckle in and scroll to find out what each Members Only star had to say about who’s on top, and where they rank on the social ladder.
Members Only: Palm Beach, Season 1, Streaming Now, Netflix
Ro-mina Ustayev
Ro-mina, the young cast member with only four seasons in Palm Beach under her belt, ranked herself at the bottom of the social ladder, but only for now. She told TV Insider, “Well, Hilary’s been in Palm Beach the longest, so I’d say she’s at the top. If we’re doing like a ladder, then Rosalyn [is next], for sure, because Rosalyn is a very prominent person in the philanthropy world. She really cares about saving the world and saving people ‘s lives. Then I would say it’s Taja, then
Maria, then me.”
When asked if it’s her goal to work her way up that ladder, Ro-mina explained that she see’s social status like a challenge. She admitted, “I would love to. I mean, I love a challenge. So for me, it’s almost like a game, and I love to win.”
Taja Abitbol
Taja, who’s lived in Palm Beach for six seasons, kept her explanation short and sweet, placing everyone at the top in their own way. She told TV Insider, “The truth is we are all stars in our own social circles. It’s changed. Things are not the way they used to be with the old guard of Palm Beach. There are so many different layers to it now that we’re kind of all stars in our own circles.”
Rosalyn Yellin
During Season 1, Palm Beach philanthropy-focused socialite Gale Brophy crowns Rosalyn the next Queen of Palm Beach. During our interview with Rosalyn, she revealed that she did not expect Gale to pass that metaphorical baton down to her in the slightest. She explained, “I didn’t really expect it because I never really had those true ambitions. I really do for the charities out of the bottom of my heart.”
That being said, Rosalyn agrees with Gale that she is on top. Here’s what she said about the cast’s social status: “I think I’m at the top. I think Hilary would maybe be second. Then Taja, Ro-mina, Maria.”
Maria Cozamanis
In Maria’s opinion, Palm Beach social standing is ever changing. When asked about the cast’s social structure she answered, “Oh, my, it depends. Like, is it Monday? Which way the wind is blowing? Whose yacht are we on? Because honestly, and it depends who you ask.” She revealed, “There’s definitely a pecking order. They probably see me and Romina as bottom of the podium.”
She explained, “The funny thing is, it’s like, everybody’s fighting for some sort of crown. I’m like, ‘There is no real crown, ladies.'” That being said, “Hilary’s been here the longest, and she sees herself as the town mayor. And then Rosalyn comes in. She has worked the charity circuit, and she’s worked really hard for her standing in Palm Beach. And it’s crazy because nobody makes that succession so quickly in Palm Beach that’s unheard of, honestly. Rosalyn deserves a medal. Taja is somewhere in the mix. She’s smart, like Taja is always where the wind is most favorable. I love that about Taja. Then, Romina and I see it differently. I feel that Palm Beach, there is a very progressive, evolving culture and era and everything that’s happening now.”
Hilary Musser
According to Hilary, Palm Beach isn’t concerned with who’s on top. When asked her opinion on the social hierachy, Hilary responded, “I don’t think or talk that way. I did not appoint myself Queen. In fact, my words were, the only Queen I know is Elizabeth, and she passed away. And anybody that says they’re the Queen of Palm Beach, isn’t. In Palm Beach, we don’t anoint ourselves queen. We don’t anoint ourselves the leader of the pack. We don’t talk about a social ladder. Candidly, if you have class, you don’t talk about a social ladder. You either have class you don’t. You’re either part of a group or you’re not.”
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