The Ending of Red, White, and Royal Blue, Explained
The new Prime Video rom-com Red, White, and Royal Blue follows a love story that could only exist in the movies (or in best-selling romance novels). After an international incident pushes them closer, the president’s only child falls in love with a British royal heir. However, there's an added twist in this film adaptation of Casey McQuiston's beloved 2019 novel: the American is Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the outspoken son of President Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman), while Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) is second-in-line for the throne.
Over the course of the film, the two public figures go from feuding acquaintances to friends slowly falling in love, as their romance builds over a year's worth of private moments. The movie's climax deals with what happens after the romance becomes public, and whether Alex and Henry can build a life together despite being pulled apart by their separate duties.
Ahead, we explain the movie's happy, hopeful ending. (Spoilers ahead!)
What happens at the end of Red, White, and Royal Blue? Do Alex and Henry stay together?
Alex and Henry's relationship is made public when their private emails are leaked on Reddit and several outlets jump on the news, including reporter Miguel (Juan Castano), Alex's former fling). The movie follows the leak's aftermath from Henry's point of view, as he's blindsided by the invasion of privacy soon after he and Alex repair their relationship with the midnight dance at the V&A Museum. Both of the men are immediately put on lockdown, unable to communicate as their aides take their phones. The White House and the palace have very different reactions to the leak: Alex goes public and confirms the couple's love in a heartfelt speech, while Henry summoned to Buckingham Palace to be berated by his older brother Prince Philip (Thomas Flynn), and then shut away from the public in his royal residence.
Eventually, Alex's lovestruck worrying annoys Zahra (Sarah Shahi), the Deputy Chief of Staff, enough for her to put him back in touch with Henry. Apparently she's been sleeping with Henry's equerry Shaan (Akshay Khanna), and she threatens him with the possibility of that never happening again if he doesn't get Henry on the phone. Shaan quickly connects the prince to Alex, and after a tearful call, Alex travels straight to London.
Soon after Alex arrives, he, Henry, and Henry's sister Princess Beatrice (Ellie Bamber) are summoned by King James III (Stephen Fry). This is the first time Henry's grandfather has reached out to him since the leak, and it's become clear through out the film that Henry's family (besides Bea) is not supportive of his untraditional relationship. The pressure that Henry feels to keep his sexuality a secret and maintain his current public image was big enough that he even attempted to break things off with Alex once he realized the relationship was so strong (hence the V&A Museum reconciliation).
Once the royal heirs and Alex are seated in a Buckingham drawing room, King James confirms that he plans to continue to deny the allegations. Henry bravely stands up to his grandfather, telling him that the "allegations" are true and he and Alex are deeply committed to each other. The monarch understands this; he reveals that he has no doubt that Alex and Henry truly are in love, after reading their letters. However, he says that Henry's primary duty is "not to [his] heart, but to [his] country," and that he must maintain a "traditional royal image. When Alex and Henry ask why, the king says that the British people will not accept a prince who is "homosexual."
Just at that moment, an aide enters the room to tell the king about a commotion happening at the gates, one Bea can see through the window. A crowd of thousands of people have gathered outside the palace, along with similar demonstrations in major cities throughout the United Kingdom, all in support of Prince Henry and Alex's relationship. In a meaningful shot, we watch Henry as he looks out at the array of rainbow Pride flags, all reflected in the balcony doors. Tearing up at the sight, Henry defies his grandfather, declaring, "Starting today, the world will know me for who I am, and not who you want me to be." Then, Henry and Alex share a kiss in private, before they step out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony hand in hand, for all the world to see.
Of course, that lovely moment only resolves the U.K. side of the leak's fallout. In the U.S., the public reveal came just a week before President Claremont's re-election, and Alex is understandably worried that the leak could have cost his mother her second term. Fast forward to the depths of election night, with only one state left to call. Those remaining electoral votes will decide whether Alex's mother or the Republican nominee will win the presidency, and the big decider is Texas, Alex's home state where he took initiative in leading the campaign. It's a huge stressful moment, and Henry is by Alex's side through it all. (The prince even wears a yellow rose tie in homage to the state, which Alex is too stressed to notice.)
Suddenly, Texas has been called... and it's blue! Alex and his mom have flipped Texas and won a second term, which President Claremont says in her acceptance speech will represent a "bolder, brighter, braver future." After Alex, his parents, and Henry stand on the national stage for her victory speech, Alex asks Henry if he's still wearing the key necklace he had gifted the prince earlier in the movie, which opens his family's old house in Austin. In a final sequence that represents the couple's newfound freedom (not one Secret Service agent or royal protection officer in sight), the pair bike to Alex's childhood home. Alex unlocks the door, and the couple says to each other, "We won," before they walk inside, heading into their happily ever after. (This final scene is pulled directly from the book's lovely ending.)
Is there a post-credits scene?
Viewers who keep Red, White, and Royal Blue playing past the credits will get a special surprise (besides learning who made that excellent cover of "Magic".) The short and sweet post-credits scene consists of an added clip of Alex and Henry, right after they've knocked over the towering royal wedding cake. As the pair lie on the ground covered in sponge and buttercream, Alex turns to Henry and whispers, "Do you think anyone noticed?" An annoyed Henry looks at Alex with his hand forming a fist, before he drops his head back and closes his eyes in total exasperation.
Once the screen goes black, the movie ends with a simple dedication: "For Kristy." The tribute is in honor of star Taylor Zakhar Perez's older sister, Kristy Lopez, who died earlier this year at the age of 44. Perez announced the tragic loss on June 4, 2023, just two months before the release of Red, White and Royal Blue.
"She was the proudest sister, knew every quote, dance, and song from my projects, and was so looking forward to seeing RWRB that I can’t imagine it premiering without her," he wrote in a heartfelt Instagram tribute. "She will remain our guide walking with us through life and celebrating us as we continue to grow with her in spirit."
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