Red, White & Royal Blue fans (and as you know by now, that includes us) collectively unleashed an earthquake-inducing shriek on the 10th May when a sequel was finally – we repeat, finally – let’s repeat it again, actually – FINALLY – confirmed.
During a special screening for the lauded Prime Video rom-com, director Matthew Lopez announced that Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine will reprise their iconic characters, Alex Claremont-Diaz and Prince Henry, for “another slice” of queerified UK-US relations, cake-catastrophes and (hopefully) some more Omar Apollo assisted… fellation.
After months of demand for a sequel (again, that includes us), the news was expectedly met with a rapturous response on social media. Earthquake-inducing, someone once described it as. Currently, details for the sequel are scarce, except for the return of the co-leads and Lopez, as well as Red, White & Royal Blue author Casey McQuiston as co-writer (visit here for everything we know so far).
So, we’ve decided to have a little bit of fun and compile a list of what we need to see in number two. Read ahead, and let us know if you agree, disagree, or if you have any hopes, dreams, wishes etc for Red, White & Royal Blue 2.
What are Alex and Henry into?
No, I don’t mean the classic “into?” Grindr inquiry about what transpires in one’s… sleeping quarters. Admittedly, I would not be opposed to discovering Alex and Henry’s kinks and sexual preferences because I’m a thirsty bitch, but we’re starting this off with some… purity.
In the sequel, it’s of the highest importance for the audience to learn more about our favourite duo’s interests outside of their royal and presidential obligations. For example, how did Henry celebrate Girls Aloud’s comeback? (He absolutely did, btw.) Which song did Alex lose his shit to on the Renaissance Tour? (I feel like it would be ‘Pure/Honey’, but any answer is correct.)
McQuiston even made a few fun revelations over Threads, where they disclosed that Freddie Mercury is Alex’s number-one bi-con, Speak Now is his ultimate Taylor Swift album and he’s a “lifelong” fan of The Killers because of his “crush” on Brandon Flowers. Additionally, Henry’s “gay awakening” was Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and they would both appear as a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race “in a second if asked”. (Alex’s favourite queen is Bob the Drag Queen, while Henry is a fan of Sasha Velour.)
Therefore, we need all of the above to feature in the sequel, especially Alex singing [insert Speak Now track here] to Henry and both of them sashaying, sashaying and panthering down the Drag Race runway. Not too much to ask, is it?
The return of the supporting cast
Although Uma Thurman, Clifton Collins Jr., Sarah Shahi and Rachel Hilson were present at the screening, where the sequel was announced, the only cast members who were officially confirmed were Perez and Galitzine. It goes without saying, really, that we need all of them to return to their roles.
Thurman, Kill Bill icon, memorably slayed as the US’ first-ever female president (and ally to the queers with her touching mother-son sexuality speech), while Clifton Collins Jr. made a wonderful First Gentleman. Shahi perfectly embodied Zahra Bankston’s feisty, takes-no-shit attitude as the president’s Deputy Chief of Staff (her phone call to Shaan, Prince Henry’s equerry, was a standout scene) and Hilson oozed likability as Alex’s best friend Nora Holleran.
Additional cast members that would be welcomed back include Stephen Fry as King James III, Ellie Bamber as Princess Beatrice, Malcolm Atobrah as Henry’s bestie Percy Okonjo and Aneesh Sheth as Secret Service agent Amy. For drama purposes, it makes sense for Juan Castano to return as Miguel Ramos, Alex’s former flame and political journalist who leaked Alex and Henry’s personal emails.
What does an openly gay royal mean for the UK?
In the real world, the UK has never had an openly queer (modern-era) monarch (Lord Ivar Mountbatten, who made history with the British royal family’s first same-sex wedding, is part of their extended family), let alone an openly queer monarch who’s in third in the line of succession. With Prince Henry publicly announcing his relationship with Alex to the world, the media storm would be… nuts.
Oprah would be sitting down for a conversation with the duo (or Drew Barrymore would, yet again, go viral for interviewing within an inch of her life), conservative British press would continue to showcase their homophobia with tired, archaic headlines and, of course, the Royal Family would be in a disarray.
All of that would inevitably take a toll on Alex and Henry’s relationship. And while I’d rather their relationship to not encounter any challengers whatsoever (all I want is happiness), continuing to depict the homophobia of the Royal Family as it disrupts their idyllic romance would be a bit more refreshing than having some swine come in for some kind of love triangle situation. That might not be a popular opinion – love triangles are always fun – but I feel like their romance is stronger than that.
Longer sex scenes
The wholesomeness is over. We’re certain – certain! – that we speak for 98.9% of fans when we say that the sequel needs to be Red, White & Rated R. (That was a joke, kind of.)
Admittedly, the first film was pleasantly surprising on the sex scene front with various saucy sequences, from Henry blowing Alex to the beat of Omar Apollo to their horse race romp and, of course, Alex being the top to Henry’s bottom in their first penetrative moment. With the lack of LGBTQIA+ rom-coms, it was quite trailblazing, but… they were too damn short.
Obviously, we’re not expecting Red, White & Royal Blue to follow in the footsteps of Mary & George or Fellow Travelers with back-alley fucks or toe-sucking, but we are here for longer, more extended love-making (like the book!).
Visit here for everything we know so far about Red, White & Royal Blue 2.
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