Is the British royal family ready for a gay royal? Etiquette expert weighs in
New film Red White & Royal Blue is about a gay British prince who falls in love with the son of the President of the U.S.
Red, White & Royal Bluefollows the love story between the fictional Prince Henry, fourth in line to the British throne, and his boyfriend Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the President of the United States. Based on the bestselling 2019 book by Casey McQuiston, posits the question, is the world ready for LGBTQ+ public figures in monarchy and politics?
There has never been a gay President of the United States, and only seven openly gay members of the federal government in its 246 years. Pete Buttigieg is President Joe Biden's Secretary of Transportation and the first First openly gay Cabinet Secretary while Randy W. Berry is the country's First United States Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons.
Globally, Manvendra Singh Gohil, the probable heir of the honorary Maharaja of Rajpipla, is considered the first openly gay prince in the world while in the UK, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, a third cousin once removed of the then-reigning Queen Elizabeth II, became the first member of the British aristocracy to come out as gay in 2016; he married his partner in 2018 when he was age 56.
But royal etiquette advisor William Hanson, however, believes that although the British royalty and the world are ready for a LGBTQ working royal, it would "depend, sadly, on where in the pecking order they are placed".
"We have yet to really have someone at the top level; we see that with Lord Mountbatten – who is aristocracy rather than royalty," William, who worked alongside director Matthew Lopez on Red, White & Royal Blue, told HELLO!
"It's like British premier league footballers who come out when they are no longer playing professionally, or the footballers who are in lesser leagues and come out."
William, however, believes that films such as will help usher in a new era – although history would need to be made in more than one way.
"I spoke to [the movie's director] Matthew Lopez during pre-production and we were talking about what would happen if, suddenly, Henry does move up the pecking order a lot more for whatever reason and what protocol would be for titles of partners, but there really is no precedent and the royal household, in any country, relies on precedent." shared William.
"What would happen if such-and-such member of the royal family turned out as gay or lesbian or openly bisexual, what would their partner be called? Look at Sir Elton John and David Furnish – David has no title. But if Sir Elton John went and married a woman they would become Lady John and get the title. We do need someone to be the first."
"I am for 100% equality across the board for everybody, in all walks of life," David told the n 2017. "The reality is, if a woman is married to a man with a title, she gets a title. I think everybody should have the same opportunities."
But there has never been a word for the husbands of men or women who receive titles; Dame Judi Dench's husband, for example, remained known as Mr. Michael Williams when she received the honor.
In 2014 the British government drew up the equal-marriage legislation which was carefully worded to ensure that peerages and royalty were excluded from the changes and meant that, for example, if a man were to marry the King, he would not be known as the Queen.
So a new word would be needed – and someone to step up and take the charge on creating new precedent.
Whomever that may be, William does believe gay aristocrats such as Lord Mountbatten are making the small and steady changes needed: "He has been planting the first flag, he is the ground breaker and although it's not a huge name we need him. He is playing a vital role."
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