Starting out as a book, “Red White & Royal Blue” was announced to become an Amazon feature film just months after the book’s release in 2019. The novel, written by Casey McQuiston, follows the love affair between the son of the president of the United States and the son of a British prince.
Greg Berlanti was announced as the producer, and in 2021, Matthew Lopez was announced as the director and co-writer along with Ted Malawer. Casting announcements began in June 2022 with Taylor Zakar Perez as Alex Claremont Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry. Uma Thurman also makes an appearance in the movie as the President of the United States, Ellen Claremont.
The film was released on Amazon Prime on August 11, 2023. Aside from the August 11th release, it had its world premiere at BFI IMAX in London in July. The cast was absent due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
The film runs 1 hour and 58 minutes. It is goofy and completely heartbreaking all at the same time. You don’t need to read the book to enjoy the movie. The film starts at the wedding of Prince Phillip, where we see Alex with his best friend Nora. Alex does not like Prince Phillip’s younger brother Henry. During the reception, we get the iconic “cake scene” from the book.
Something that I noticed right away is how accurate the story in the film is when compared to the book. I noticed this right as the first couple of scenes played out, and it made me enjoy the film even more than I would have if I hadn’t read the book.
To deal with the media frenzy after the “cake incident,” Alex and Henry are forced to do a series of interviews and joint public appearances where they have to pretend to be friends. This begins the enemies-to-lovers plot that follows.
My favorite scene of the film and the book comes early in the film. Henry and Alex are making an appearance at a children’s hospital when suddenly there is the sound of “gunshots,” and they are shoved into a closet together by a secret service member.
This scene is the first time they open up to each other. In that private moment, Alex admits to Henry that he began to resent him after Henry was rude to him at Alex’s first appearance as a public figure. Henry apologizes and explains that he left because he was still mourning his father’s death but was not allowed to disappear from public life. The two make up with each other and begin texting and becoming friends. Compared to the book, there are way fewer emails and texts between Alex and Henrey in the film. I think it does not affect the plot in the slightest.
Later, Henry is invited to Alex’s annual New Year’s party, Henry leaves abruptly after seeing Alex kiss several girls at midnight. Alex follows him outdoors to the White House grounds, and Henry kisses Alex. After talking to Nora, Alex realizes that he is attracted to Henry.
The next scenes are full of visits to each other as the couple becomes more of a couple. Alex later comes out to his mother, who is supportive but advises him to think about his relationship carefully since the couple will be in the public eye. There’s a breakup and makeup, as well as a grand gesture.
The grand gesture comes when Henry and Alex’s private emails are leaked to the public. Both the White House and the Palace cut off all Henry’s and Alex’s forms of contact. Zahra, the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, gets in touch with Shaan, Henry’s equerry, and Alex and Henry are finally able to talk.
Alex immediately flies to London to reunite with Henry in one of the sweetest scenes I have ever seen. King James III summons them to a meeting and tells them that he believes their love to be genuine, but they cannot be together since their relationship isn’t a royal tradition. Henry’s sister Bea notices a crowd gathered in front of Buckingham Palace in support of them and finds news reports of many similar crowds of supporters in other places. Alex and Henry then step outside together onto the balcony and openly greet the public for the first time as a couple.
On election night, Henry returns to the United States to be with Alex. Alex’s plan to win Texas for his mother ultimately results in her re-election. To celebrate, Alex and Henry visit Alex’s childhood home. The film ends here, but the book doesn’t.
The book goes on for one more chapter that follows the original’s last chapter with a special extension from Henry’s point of view. It jumps ahead a few years, following the couple as they move in together and continue growing their personal and professional relationships. This helps us know that the couple lasts beyond what the movie shows, which is exciting if you get attached to characters like I do.
These characters are easy to get attached to with their goofy quips and how you can feel their emotions in both adaptations. Their relationship warmed my heart, especially in the more tense moments, like when Alex arrives in London after their emails are leaked.
A few things are changed in the film adaptation, such as characters being removed and a few added, but in my opinion, I don’t believe it affects the story. I believe that in certain moments, the book has too many characters. There are also some gender-bent characters in the book, like the king, who is actually the queen. We lose a couple of subplots like Bea and her substance abuse and the boys having to fake date women.
In the book, something else that is different is Alex’s parents are divorced, and Ellen is married to a man named Leo. In the film, Leo doesn’t exist, and his parents are still together. I don’t mind this change, as in the book, I felt no real connection to Leo.
One last difference is in one e-mail, Alex writes to Henry, “History, Huh? Bet we could make some.” After their e-mails are hacked and leaked, this phrase gets put on signs and t-shirts in solidarity with the couple. June even makes a yellow t-shirt with the phrase that Amy wears to a rally in support of Alex.
In the film, this line is said out loud. It is said when they visit the museum in Londen after they dance. The song that Alex plays in V&A is “Your Song” by Elton John, not “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley. Which is just another small difference from book to movie.
In my opinion, I liked the film, and at many points, I got chills when they took lines straight from the book. I could go on and on naming small, minor differences, but I won’t. Out of five stars, I give it a 4. If I went on pure self-indulgence, it would be a 5, but on a technical level and comparing it to the book, it is a 4.
I didn’t mind some characters from the book missing, and if you like the trope of enemies to lovers, then this movie and even the book are for you!
