Was Red, White & Royal Blue Actually Filmed In The V&A?

It’s official: there’s going to be a Red, White & Royal Blue sequel – and both Nicholas Galitzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez will reprise their roles as Prince Henry and Alex Claremont-Diaz respectively, a British Prince and the son of the US President. The bad news? It’ll be a while before we get to see it. If you’re celebrating the news with a rewatch, you’re not alone. But how about celebrating the sequel with a visit to the filming locations? From the White House to Buckingham Palace, here’s exactly where Red, White & Royal Blue was actually filmed, and how to visit the dupes we see on screen.

Where Was Red, White & Royal Blue Filmed?

While the action is split between the US and the UK, filming for Red, White & Royal Blue only took place in England. Naturally, the filmmakers did not have access to the Oval Office – so Ellen Claremont’s White House and all other US locations were recreated on British soil.

Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz, Uma Thurman as President Ellen Claremont and Sarah Shahi as Zahra Bankston in Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue.

The Oval Office

Was Red, White & Royal Blue actually filmed in the White House? Of course not – but lots of effort went into making a soundstage look exactly like the real thing. Because Ellen Claremont is the first female US President, however, production designers had a bit more aesthetic freedom, putting a feminine spin on the interiors. ‘We wanted to make it cleaner and more modern, but also softer for a southern woman who likes colors and certain shapes,’ production designer Miren Marañón told Frederic Magazine. ‘In the story, she gets to where she is by being honest and direct with the public, and I wanted to portray that in the designs.’ Pay attention, and you’ll notice careful feminine touches, including sculptures of women ranging from Lady Liberty to a Valkyrie warrior.

Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry and Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz in Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue.

Somerley House, Hampshire

Sadly, Red, White & Royal Blue was not filmed in Buckingham Palace or Kensington Palace, either. Instead, when scenes take place in one or the other, we’re actually looking at Somerley House, a historic country house on the Hampshire-Dorset border surrounded by 7,000 acres of parkland. When Alex shows up in England after Henry avoids his calls, he stands dripping wet in an atrium in Somerley House. When Alex and Henry embrace on the stairs, that staircase is in Somerley. When Alex and Henry meet with the King, the grand, spacious room is also in Somerley. In short, it’s the catch-all regal space.

Find It: Somerley House (Ringwood BH24 3PL) is a private estate, so you can’t visit on a whim. However, you can book to stay in one of the properties on the estate: The Farmhouse, The Old Salmon Hut or Park Cottage. somerley.com

Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry in Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue.

The V&A, London

Which museum do they visit at midnight in Red, White & Royal Blue? The V&A, of course. Henry tells Alex he often visits in the night, afterhours, and if you don’t recognise the cavernous space, we’re looking at the real thing. Mirroring the events of the movie, filming took place in the Sculptural Gallery after the museum had closed – creating a surreal experience for Londoner Galitzine: ‘I was born and raised in London and the V&A is an iconic place to visit – the galleries, the displays, exhibitions that have been on there,’ he told Entertainment Weekly. ‘To be able to witness it in such a quiet state was really bizarre. Night shoots are disorienting at the best of times. It’s 5:00 in the morning, you’re trying to act and be emotional, and you’re in this truly beautiful, picturesque setting. It was really cool to be able to explore it. It felt a bit like Night in the Museum. It was a weird, surreal but extremely enjoyable experience.’

Find It: Victoria and Albert Museum, Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL. vam.ac.uk

Royal Naval College, London

Red, White & Royal Blue opens with a wedding: that of Prince Henry’s older brother Prince Phillip, Duke of Cambridge and heir to the throne. Alex, in his role as first son of the United States, attends and we are introduced to his long-standing feud with Prince Henry. But before that big old cake debacle, there are some scenes shot outside, Alex arriving with his best friend Nora (Rachel Hilson) on his arm.

These scenes were shot at Queen Anne Court at London’s Royal Naval College – a grand courtyard which was built from 1689–1749, intended as a hospital for retired seamen but which now houses the University of Greenwich. It was built with striking white Portland stone ashlar with embellishments above each window. If you fancy recreating the magic, it’s entirely free to visit; simply stroll around and imagine you’re in Bridgerton, which was also filmed here.

Find It: Queen Anne Court, Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, London SE10 9NW. onrc.org

Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry and Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz in Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue.

Goldsmiths’ Hall, London

In terms of the interior scenes of the wedding reception – and, crucially, cakegate – filming took place at Goldsmiths’ Hall, one of the City of London’s ancient guildhalls. A lot of effort went into perfecting the scene, in which an altercation leads to the cake smashing to the ground, with the Prince and the first son covered in frosting. ‘We created at least 15 versions of a fake cake made of latex, along with buckets and buckets of buttercream and soft materials that resembled the cake’s interior,’ explains Marañón. ‘At the end, Matthew [López, the director] and I were splashing frosting on all the actors!’

How did they achieve this in a protected, historic building? While filming, the team protected all of the antique carpets with reproduction copies to ensure no secret smudge of frosting was left behind.

Find It: The Goldsmiths’ Company, 13 Foster Lane, London, EC2V 6BN. thegoldsmiths.co.uk

Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Henry and Taylor Zakhar Perez as Alex Claremont-Diaz in Prime Video’s Red, White & Royal Blue.

Sevenoaks, Kent

When Henry and Alex visit Alex’s Texas summer house, filming actually remained in the UK. In these scenes, we’re looking at a real lake house in Sevenoaks, Kent. The lucky producers made the most of the UK’s surprisingly hot weather in summer 2022 to make Kent look like Texas.

WATCH

Red, White & Royal Blue is streaming exclusively on Prime Video. amazon.co.uk