The Unveiling of 'Red, White and Royal Blue': Exploring the Key Distinctions Between the Book and its Blockbuster Adaptation

Just like many other book-to-movie adaptations, certain elements from the novel "Red, White and Royal Blue" did not make it into its film version.

In the Prime Video romantic comedy, which premiered on Friday, August 11, Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine play the roles of Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry, respectively. Though they start off as enemies and later become lovers, director Matthew López revealed that in order to effectively portray the love story between the First Son of the United States and the Prince of England, certain aspects from Casey McQuiston's 2019 novel had to be excluded.

“I first watched the movie in its three-hour version, which was initially given to me by my editor. And I made sure that everything that didn't involve Alex and Henry was removed," he told Us exclusively. "As the filmmaker, my responsibility was to guide Alex and Henry's story and ensure that they safely reached the end of the film. In fact, there are less than 20 seconds in the entire movie where either one of them is not present."

López further explained, "When you have the goal of serving the journey of these two characters, it becomes evident what elements are essential and what are not."

Scroll below to see what parts of the Red, White and Royal Blue novel didn’t make the movie cut:

New, Missing and Changed Characters

In the film adaptation, the focus primarily revolves around the love story between Alex and Henry, resulting in the downplayed roles of several side characters from the book. Aneesh Sheth's character, Secret Service agent Amy, Malcolm Atobrah's character, Henry's best friend Percy, and Ellie Bamber's character, Henry's sister Princess Beatrice, all had significantly diminished roles compared to their counterparts in the book.

Furthermore, some characters were amalgamated with others or completely omitted from the movie adaptation. Rachel Hilson's character, Nora Holleran, who is Alex's best friend, shared many similarities with June, Alex's sister in the book, who did not make an appearance in the film. Instead, Nora assumed the flirty relationship that existed between June and Percy in the book.

Alex's mentor, Senator Rafael Luna, and his childhood best friend, Liam, do not appear in the film. However, a new friend for Alex is introduced in the form of journalist Miguel Ramos (played by Juan Castano). Additionally, two other characters, Secret Service member Cash and Henry's mother, Princess Catherine, were also removed from the film, though Princess Catherine is briefly mentioned.

Pictured above are the cast members of 'Red, White & Royal Blue.' Nicholas Galitzine portrays Prince Henry, Malcolm Atobrah takes on the role of Percy Okonjo, Rachel Hilson brings Nora Holleran to life, and Taylor Zakhar Perez plays the character of Alex Claremont-Diaz. This captivating series is produced by Amazon Studios.

King of England, Not the Queen

In the RWRB book and film, a notable divergence is the portrayal of a Queen instead of a King of England. López exclusively revealed to Us that this creative decision was primarily driven by two factors: a deliberate effort to establish a clear distinction between the fictional royal family and the real-life royal family.

Stephen Fry portrays King James III in the Prime Video adaptation, whereas the book depicts Queen Mary, Henry's grandmother, as the monarch. The decision to change the gender from queen to king was made before the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

López further explained, "With King Charles, Prince William, and Prince George, there will be a continuous line of English kings for the majority of our lives. Therefore, I aimed to ensure that the film would resonate with audiences for the next hundred years."

Alex and Henry’s Families

Their family dynamics underwent several changes. In the book, Alex’s parents, President Ellen Claremont (portrayed by Uma Thurman) and Senator Oscar Diaz (played by Clifton Collins Jr.), were divorced. However, in the film, Leo, Alex’s stepdad, was removed along with June.

Henry’s mother, Catherine, takes on a more significant role in advocating for Alex and Henry against the monarchy in the book. Additionally, in the novel, Henry's sister Beatrice is portrayed as older than him, whereas in the film adaptation, she is depicted as the youngest sibling in the royal family.

Alex’s Political Career

While Alex in the book is uncertain about his inclination towards attending law school, he is already enrolled as a student at Georgetown Law in the film adaptation. In contrast to the novel, where he joins his mother's campaign team in Washington, D.C., the cinematic version of Alex embarks on a journey back to his home state of Texas to support his mother's reelection campaign.

Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry in ‘Red, White & Royal Blue.’ Amazon Studios

Alex and Henry’s Romance

Instead of their initial meeting taking place at the 2016 Rio Olympics, like in the novel, Alex and Henry crossed paths at a climate conference in Melbourne, Australia. In the film, Alex is more confident about his bisexual identity, whereas in the book, he wrestles with his sexuality for a longer duration.

During the group's visit to the vacation house in Texas, Alex chooses to express his love for Henry in the daytime at the lake, in contrast to the nighttime confession depicted in the book. Additionally, in the film, Alex exchanges his key necklace for Henry's signet ring as a symbol of their bond. In the original story, Alex wears the ring on his necklace as a constant reminder of his affection for Henry.

The Email Leak

The book is narrated solely from Alex's point of view, whereas the movie focuses primarily on Henry's perspective in depicting the consequences of their leaked emails. Additionally, the leak in the book is connected to the President's reelection, as Senator Jeffrey Richards, her opponent, orchestrated the exposure of the couple. In the film, however, the press obtains and releases security camera footage capturing the duo's time at the Victoria and Albert Museum.