Foreign (Love) Affairs: Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)
It’s the movie that’s taken the internet by storm, and readers much before that.
When I say, I’ve been waiting weeks to watch this movie, that’s not an exaggeration. I have been waiting for this movie since the book came out. It’s the first in a streak of our five-star 2022 romance novels. The characters. The plot. The tropes. The chemistry. It’s everything you want in a romance novel, plus great queer representation.
I’ll admit, when Nicholas Galitzine was cast as Prince Henry, I was very very very thrown off. I did not see any chemistry in the promo photos for this movie. And from the looks of “Purple Hearts,” he just wasn’t right for this role. But the range on that man! I was wrong. And now I hear he’s in “Bottoms” too. And a possible actual prince? When I tell you, I was DYING to see this movie… it was about to go down.
From the beginning, Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) are funding, and it’s super unclear why. The classic “I despise him, just because,” setting up for the enemies-to-friends-to-lovers trope. There’s an obscure insult from four years ago knawing at Alex’s mind, but that’s the only real substance of their displeasure. Mostly British/American stereotypes of snobbery or loud annoyingness. They get into a little tiff at a royal wedding and knock over a seventy thousand dollar cake, onto themselves, laying on the floor in anticipation-horror. It’s a bit more exaggerated than I thought it would be. It’s perfect.
They fight over their heights like children. Like grown babies comparing their unmentionables. Is that a thing in the gay community I’m unaware of? It feels like there’s sexual tension flying when they say it. It’s odd to me. Maybe just me?
“My NDA’s bigger than yours.”
When volunteering at a hospital together (forcibly), a kid has fireworks and sets off the Secret Service. They get shoved in the room closet and Henry automatically knows what Alex‘s cologne is. You’re telling me that’s not a hint that he’s gay?
I really like how they’re making the text messages come off as in-person conversations. Similar to the “Mine or Yours” movie. Long distance, and yet it feels so close. By the time the New Year’s party rolls around, viewers can already tell what happens next. Alex has no real interest in the random women falling in his lap, but Henry is obviously butthurt. When dancing to “Low” by Lil’ Jon, suddenly they’re seemingly the only two in the room staring at each other. The visuals of their connection are perfect. They’re both so into each other, even Alex doesn’t realize it until they’re already kissing on the snowy White House lawn.
I think one of the reasons why I connected to this story so much, both in the book and movie, is that you feel like you’re physically watching both characters fall in love at the same time, realizing who the other person is and how they themselves fit into that.
When they finally admit their attraction and connection to one another, Henry is so incredibly nervous, it’s endearing. They start making out hot and heavy, but present to be looking at books when caught by the Secret Service. They’re not kidding anyone.
The film really captures the giddy part of falling in love. They’re incredibly infatuated with one another and the idea of falling in love. It’s adorable. One day, historians will say that they were “great friends.”
They go out and party in Austin like it’s a normal place and they’re all normal people. Do we really think they would ever be allowed out of security’s sight? No. They’re the first son and prince of England.
Alex confesses his love for Henry, somehow forgetting that it’s not just him personally coming out, it’s an issue of Henry being gay to the crown. Henry literally jumps into the ocean to get away from Alex, packing and leaving in the middle of the night, without telling anyone. How is that logistically possible, if they’re at Alex’s house and both of them need armed security?
Their emails get hacked, and Henry is devastated. Alex’s pre-coming-out ex-hookup hacked his emails because he wasn’t picking up the flirting? It’s incredibly jealous and toxic. Way more of a British tabloid-style journalism than American ethics. I can’t believe they made him supposedly right for politico. Completely unethical.
The King wants to play the scandal off like it was political sabotage and a lie, but Henry is not standing for it. All of the UK seems to be behind him, rallying for support.
Quick journalist tidbit: the spare heir to the British throne on stage during the congratulation speech of a US president, big, big, big no-no. There’s a reason they don’t vote in England.
In the end, I think all the basic bare bones of the book’s story come through in the movie. The relationships. The characterization. The emotion and plot. There are always a few things missing in a movie adaptation. That’s to be expected. But I think the film does a really good job of displaying the story that’s been given. Two young men thrust into politics, finding their sensual and emotional love for each other in the midst of turmoil, against the shame of their own communities, finding themselves and convincing the world to support free identity. And I think there’s something really beautiful about that.
Plus, some of the make-out scenes were hot.
4.5 stars
