Red, White & Royal Wedding has officially started production, with stars Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine confirming their return in a behind-the-scenes video posted Monday, Jan. 19.
**At a Glance
- Filming began Jan. 19 for the follow-up to 2023’s queer rom-com hit
- Galitzine and Perez reprise roles as Prince Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz
- The title wedding centers on Princess Beatrice, not the lead couple
- Why it matters: Fans eager for more of the enemies-to-lovers love story finally get the next chapter
The clip, shared by the film’s Instagram account and distributors Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video, carries the caption “we’re SO beyond back.” In it, Galitzine greets viewers with “Welcome back,” while Perez adds, “Oh, I did want to say that we are here for Bea’s wedding.” The pair quickly clarify that the nuptials belong to Princess Beatrice (Ellie Bamber), Prince Henry’s younger sister, not to Alex and Henry themselves.
Cast and Creative Team
Galitzine, 31, and Perez, 34, will once again play the secret lovers whose romance sparked global streaming numbers for Prime Video in 2023. Uma Thurman returns as President Ellen Claremont and Clifton Collins Jr. as Congressman Oscar Diaz, Alex’s parents.
Behind the camera:
- Jamie Babbit directs, known for 1999 queer classic But I’m a Cheerleader
- Casey McQuiston, author of the original 2019 novel, co-writes the screenplay
- Matthew López, writer-director of the first film, co-writes and produces
- Gemma Burgess also joins the writing team
Amazon’s press release stresses that detailed plot points remain under wraps.
Director and Producer Statements
“I’m thrilled to be back in the queer love universe of Red, White & Royal Wedding,” said Babbit, 55. “We all need this kind of optimism, fantasy and gay joy.”
López, 48, added, “I’m excited we get to continue telling Alex and Henry’s story with Red, White & Royal Wedding. It’s been a blast to dream up the next chapter of their story as a producer and co-writer and I’m delighted to be passing the directing baton to Jamie, whose vision and sense of humor will be a perfect match for our film.”
Fan Reaction and Comparisons
Instagram commenters immediately linked the sequel to another recent gay romance, Heated Rivalry, the Crave and HBO series about rival hockey players falling in love. Both projects adapt popular MM romance novels and ride the wave of enemies-to-lovers storytelling that streaming audiences continue to embrace.
Production timelines have not been disclosed, but the Jan. 19 video signals that cameras are rolling and the royal celebration is on the horizon.
