Veteran actor Sir Ian McKellen has never been one to shy away from bold opinions, and his recent comments about Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Harry have caused quite a stir. In an interview, McKellen reflected on his interactions with the late monarch and shared his thoughts on the pressures of royal life. McKellen, who was knighted for his contributions to the performing arts in 1991 and later awarded the Companion of Honour in 2008, recalled a few uncomfortable encounters with the Queen. According to McKellen, the Queen was ‘quite rude’ to him during their meetings, especially when she presented him with the prestigious medal.
As per The Independent, McKellen claimed, “The Queen, I’m sure she was quite mad at the end. And on the few occasions I met her she was quite rude. When I received a medal for acting (the Companion of Honour), she said, ‘You’ve been doing this for an awfully long time’. I said, ‘Well, not as long as you.’ I got a royal smile for that, but then she said, ‘Does anyone still actually go to the theatre?’”
The actor opined, “That’s bloody rude when you’re giving someone a medal for acting. It meant, ‘Does anyone care a f*** about you because I don’t. Now off you go!’…That was her handshake and it meant, ‘Go! Go!’” McKellen’s frank recollection of these interactions paints a less-than-flattering picture of the Queen in her later years. However, McKellen didn’t limit his candid commentary to just her. He also weighed in on the struggles of being born into the royal family, specifically offering his support to Prince Harry.
Referring to a copy of Harry’s memoir, Spare, that he keeps in his home, McKellen said, “I’m most definitely on Harry’s side. Imagine being born into the royal family. I’ve been in public life a bit, but these people are in prison. They can’t do anything normal. Can you imagine having to be nice to everyone you talk to? Hats off to anyone who manages to stay sane in that world,” as reported by EW.
Despite his sympathy for Harry’s predicament, McKellen expressed doubts about the Duke of Sussex’s ability to navigate royal life successfully. He remarked, “Like the [late] Duke of Edinburgh managed to do, although even he was deeply, deeply eccentric and I suspect deeply unhappy. Same with the present king. He sort of survives, but he is clearly damaged. As for Harry, he’s probably not bright enough or doesn’t have the right friends to really help himself. Mind you, he had the pick of all the pretty women in the world. I hope he’s got the right one.” The actor’s comments come after a series of recent health struggles, including a chipped vertebra and fractured wrist after a fall on stage.
