Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Book-based LGBTQ romcom has sex scenes, language, drinking.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Red, White & Royal Blue
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 5 parent reviews
Based on 25 kid reviews
Kids say that while the movie contains a considerable amount of sexual content and coarse language, it's often portrayed in a tender manner, which makes it less explicit than suggested by the R rating. Many reviews emphasize its messages of inclusivity and support for the LGBTQ+ community, highlighting that despite some awkward moments, it offers a mix of humor and romance suitable for older teens, although some parents should provide guidance for younger viewers regarding the content.
- sexual content concerns
- inclusivity messages
- funny and romantic
- suitable for older teens
- parental guidance needed
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
RED, WHITE & ROYAL BLUE turns on a love story between the son of the American president (Uma Thurman) and a British prince. Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the Mexican American first son, travels to England to attend the royal wedding of Prince Henry's (Nicholas Galitzine) older brother. Alex is not a fan of Henry's, having felt snubbed by him in the past. But when Alex gets drunk at the wedding and causes a scene involving both men, they are forced to make nice publicly to save face for both political families. As the pair gets pushed together, they find they have a mutual attraction. This eventually leads them to embark on a relationship, but considering their prominent positions, will they be able to keep it secret?
Is It Any Good?
This highly anticipated and exceptionally campy romcom will please fans of the book and LGBTQ romances, but viewers should approach it with as uncritical a lens as possible. That's because Red, White & Royal Blue is chock full of hokey one-liners, implausible scenarios, and worn stereotypes. Its two gorgeous leads lean into the affair, calling a hard-on "Big Ben" and vowing to "no longer be the prince of shame!" Dialogues are similarly cringy throughout (text messaging proves more inventive than spoken dialogues). Probably the funniest lines of the movie come from a minor character who calls the prince "Little Lord F—leroy" and vows to "Brexit" his head from his body if he doesn't follow her orders.
US-UK stereotypes are aplenty, from "uncultured" Americans to uptight, polo-playing Brits. The British royal family takes some hits for being outdated, expensive figureheads, while the American political system appears to work fluidly to support an open-minded female Democrat for president (Thurman, sounding very strange as a Texan politician). A couple of quieter sequences offer a bit more character insight, and one sex scene is shot in notably tender detail, but none of that feels like the film's real ambition. This is a light-hearted romance starring beautiful people that should all play quite well on streaming.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the romance at the heart of Red, White & Royal Blue is developed and what obstacles the characters face. How do you think the story would have changed if the characters were heterosexual?
If you've read the book, how does the film differ? What can books do better than movies, and vice versa?
How are Americans and Brits portrayed differently in this film? Do you think the portrayals are based on stereotypes, reality, or both?
Did you feel the film did a good job recreating well-known locations like the Oval Office or Buckingham and Kensington Palaces?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : August 11, 2023
- Cast : Taylor Zakhar Perez , Nicholas Galitzine , Uma Thurman
- Director : Matthew Lopez
- Inclusion Information : Latino Movie Actor(s) , Multiracial Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Actor(s) , Female Movie Writer(s) , Gay Movie Writer(s) , Queer Movie Writer(s) , Latino Movie Writer(s)
- Studio : Prime Video
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Activism , Fantasy ( Fairy Tales ) , Friendship
- Run time : 118 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some sexual content, partial nudity and language
- Last updated : January 12, 2026
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