“Red, White & Royal Blue” was written and released by Casey Mcquiston in 2019. The book exploded in popularity thanks to Tiktok, and the movie was announced shortly thereafter.
“Red, White & Royal Blue” follows Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakar-Perez), the son of the president of the United States, and Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), the prince of England. Alex is required by his mother, the president (Uma Thurman), to attend the wedding of Henry’s brother Prince Phillip. Alex and Henry have always despised each other and start to argue at the wedding, knocking over an extremely expensive cake and embroiling each other in scandal.
The White House and royal family carry out damage control, forcing Alex and Henry into a series of public appearances. Through their time together, they resolve their differences and emerge as friends. When Alex and Henry discover they have feelings for one another, they begin a relationship in secret. As their feelings grow and the story progresses, the secret becomes harder to keep.
Alex does not want his relationship to affect his mother’s campaign for re-election, and Henry was told by his grandfather the king that he is not allowed to be gay. Despite this, their secret gets out, and they are forced to respond.
I loved this movie because I knew exactly what to expect. It stayed very true to the book as the quintessential enemies-to-lovers trope, which was enjoyable to see on film. I read the book during the pandemic, and it was the perfect escape for me, while still feeling contemporary and relevant.
I recommend this movie—but first the book to get a better sense of Alex and Henry’s story with all the witty banter and an overall positive feel. I’m also a firm believer in reading books before watching their movie adaptations.
The chemistry between Zakar-Perez and Galitzine was really strong, and while there were cheesy moments as there are in every rom com, they could be overlooked because of Galitzine’s exceptional performance.
One criticism is that the timeline of the movie felt much faster than the book, and some important plot points were rushed. The way that the movie’s shots blend together and the visual incorporation of texts, calls and emails made things choppier, instead of clearer.
Also, Uma Thurman’s southern accent was not realistic or pleasant to listen to, although I enjoyed seeing a woman as the president in the Oval Office.
It is prudent to mention that while this film is a rom com with great tension and chemistry, its characters face real problems. Prince Henry is subjected to the classic choice between love and country, and both Alex and Henry fear being public about their relationship because of the way people might react.
Overall, it depends on what you’re looking to get out of this movie. Its representation is important, but it is a love story more than anything else. For those wanting an overt social statement, you won’t find it in this film. For those seeking a cute rom com, I highly recommend “Red, White & Royal Blue.”
