14 biggest ways the Red, White and Royal Blue movie is different from the book

Red, White and Royal Blue has finally premiered on Amazon Prime Video, ending years and months of anticipation from book fans waiting to see Alex and Henry on screen. The movie, based on Casey McQuiston’s best-selling debut novel, arrived on Aug. 11 and it’s sure to be one of the most popular streaming movies of the summer.

The film and book center on Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of the United States, and his rivalry turned romance with Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). In true enemies-to-lovers fashion, the movie tells a sweeping story, though with international and political implications.

For those who are massive fans of the book who might be skeptical about checking out the movie, or those watching the movie without having read the book, you might be wondering if any big changes were made from page to screen. While it’s faithful to the source material, there were some characters and stories that had to be unfortunately sacrificed.

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead from Red, White and Royal Blue ahead.

How is the Red, White and Royal Blue movie different from the book?

Ahead of the movie, we knew that the queen was changed to a king, but what are the other changes from the book? Here are the biggest changes in the Red, White and Royal Blue movie compared to the book, beginning below with one of the most controversial character omissions.

June isn’t in the movie

Before the movie was released, fans quickly came to realize that June would not be in the film adaptation. For those who haven’t read the book, June is Alex’s older sister, part of a trio with him and Nora. She plays an integral role in the book as a journalist and confidant to Alex. When the emails leak, June starts a fake press relationship with Henry to cover up the scandal. However, she isn’t mentioned at all in the movie and Alex appears to be an only child.

Ellen and Oscar are still married

Another interesting change that fans theorized about before the film released, Alex’s parents are not divorced in the movie. President Ellen Claremont and Congressman Oscar Diaz are still married, though their relationship isn’t explored in the movie very much. It’s a subtle change that doesn’t add or subtract too much from the story. Aside from Leo. Ellen’s second husband doesn’t not exist in the movie RWRB world. Sorry, Leo!

Henry’s name is different

In the book, Henry explains to Alex that his full name is Henry George Edward James Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor. However, in the movie, Henry and Alex swap full names, and there’s a change. This time around, he’s Henry George Edward James Hanover-Stewart-Fox. The reason for the change is unclear, though Windsor does have a direct connection to the actual Royal Family, so that could be why it couldn’t be used. However, Alex is still Alexander Gabriel Claremont-Diaz.

Rafael Luna isn’t in the movie (and Miguel isn’t in the book)

Besides June, there are a few additional character omissions. In the book, Oscar’s friend Rafael Luna, an openly gay politician to whom Alex is also close, plays a big role. There’s an entire subplot revolving around Rafael, but there wasn’t time in the movie to cover it. Likewise, the movie adds the character Miguel (Juan Castano), a political journalist who Alex has hooked up with. In the book, June had hooked up with a fellow political journalist.

Alex doesn’t consider a law career

In the book, Alex secretly takes the LSAT and considers a career in law as a means to help people. He realizes he can best help people through changing policy rather than rising through the political ranks. He can still be involved in a different way. In the movie, Alex’s political future is a topic of discussion for Alex and Henry’s relationship, because Henry realizes how important it is to Alex in many ways. He campaigns in Texas and attends Georgetown Law, but his professional future ultimately isn’t really addressed after the couple ends up together.

Bea’s drug addiction isn’t included

Not only is Bea now the youngest of Philip and Henry, her backstory from the book wasn’t included at all in the movie. She battled a drug addiction, becoming known as the “Powder Princess” in the British media due to her cocaine use. In the book, she also becomes collateral damage in the email leak, when her secrets all come out along with Alex and Henry’s. In the movie, she’s merely a supportive sister and Henry’s closest confidant.

Henry’s mother isn’t in the movie

Although Catherine is mentioned by Henry and Bea, she isn’t seen in the movie. Henry’s mother ends up playing a pivotal role in the book when she finally springs to action for her son and defends him to her mother, the queen (who also does not exist in the movie). Ultimately, the movie’s storyline isn’t lacking much by omitting Henry’s mother, though her absence seemed to help condense the fallout from Henry’s family.

A few memorably steamy scenes are missing

Book fans know Red, White and Royal Blue has spice to spare, and the movie definitely wasn’t stingy with the steamy scenes between Alex and Henry. But there were noticeably fewer sex scenes in the movie. Two of the most memorable from the book are the hookups at Wimbledon and karaoke night. But the intimate scenes that were in the movie were incredibly special and impactful. To this end, the Los Angeles and New York scenes were also seemingly combined.

The lake house backstory was changed

The climax of the book comes following the romantic scenes at the Texas lake house, a house Alex’s family has had and comes to every summer. His dad owns the house on Lake Lyndon B. Johnson. In the movie, Alex explains the house as something his parents acquired as an escape from their public life. It’s a bit different since Ellen and Oscar are still married.

Alex and Nora don’t fake a romance

As previously mentioned about June fake-dating Henry for the media, at the same time, the book finds Alex and Nora faking a relationship to diffuse the rumor mill. That simply does not happen in the movie. There is no attempted cover-up for Alex and Henry’s relationship. In fact, Nora has a reduced presence in the movie, which is one of the few downsides of the book versus movie changes because Rachel Hilson is amazing in the role.

“History, huh?” and the love quotes aren’t in the emails

Maybe one of the biggest changes book fans will have to grapple with has to do with Alex and Henry’s emails. Their love letters contain so much swoon-worthy and heart-melting content, including love quotes from the past and the iconic “History, huh? Bet we could make some” line in an Alex email. Instead, he says the line during the late-night museum date, which still will give all fans chills and teary eyes. But the emails are missed nonetheless!

Henry’s handwritten Pyramus and Thisbe note was cut

In a similar vein as the decreased visibility of the emails, Henry’s handwritten note to Alex isn’t featured in the movie. In the book, he hides a note to Alex that says, “Dear Thisbe, I wish there weren’t a wall. Love, Pyramus.” It forms a realization in Alex to fight for their relationship and tear that wall down. It happens anyway, just without that note and nod to Greek mythology.

The song in the museum was changed

In the book, Henry dreams of bringing the man he loves to his favorite place, the Victoria and Albert Museum, after hours when it could be just them. Henry does take Alex there and they dance to “Your Song” by Elton John. Unfortunately, that’s not the song they dance to in the movie. Rather, they slow dance to “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Perfume Genius. Director Matthew López explained that “Your Song” didn’t fit his vision for the scene.

The email leaker isn’t revealed

After Alex and Henry’s emails are leaked in the book, all of the plots tie together, as Ellen’s Republican opponent on the presidential ticket, Jeffrey Richards, was revealed as the leaker. Rafael Luna joined his campaign, as a shock to the Claremont-Diaz family, but he revealed the leak to Nora from the inside of the opposition. That isn’t explored at all in the movie. The emails are anonymously leaked to Reddit, though it’s hinted that Miguel knows more than he’s letting on.

Watch Red, White and Royal Blue only on Amazon Prime Video!