Sir Ian McKellen: Here's everything he said about the Royal Family in a recent interview

From Queen Elizabeth II’s reign to King Charles III’s ascension to the throne, and Prince Harry’s departure from royal duties, the monarchy remains central to public discourse. They have long been a subject of global fascination, often making headlines for their public roles and personal drama.

For instance, the claims that Prince William asked Prince Harry to shave off his beard, or their recent awkward encounter at their uncle’s funeral.

Recently, celebrated actor Sir Ian McKellen added his voice to the conversation. In a candid interview with The Times, the iconic star shared his thoughts on some of the key figures of the Firm.

King Charles is ‘clearly damaged’ and Prince Philip was ‘deeply unhappy’

McKellen – who, some weeks ago, endured a terrible fall from the stage – made headlines with his candid comments about the royals. Not holding back in his critique, the Lord of the Rings actor emphasised that the British Royal Family is a challenging institution, and anyone associated with it faces significant struggles, according to Newsweek.

The actor noted the toll royal duties and constant public expectations could take on an individual's mental health, saying:

Hats off to anyone who manages to stay sane in that world.

He added:

Like the [late] Duke of Edinburgh managed to do, although even he was deeply, deeply eccentric and I suspect deeply unhappy.

When discussing the reigning monarch, McKellen commented:

Same with the present king. He sort of survives, but he is clearly damaged.

McKellen’s encounter with Queen Elizabeth II

McKellen, who has interacted with the Royal Family multiple times, also reflected on his meetings with Queen Elizabeth II. Despite being knighted by her in 1991, he described her behaviour during their encounters as ‘quite rude,’ reports The Independent.

In one incident, during a ceremony where he received the Companion of Honour in 2008, the Queen allegedly made a dismissive remark about theatre. McKellen explained:

When I received a medal for acting (the Companion of Honour in 2008), 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.

He then claimed:

But then she said, ‘Does anyone still actually go to the theatre?’

McKellen felt the remark was ‘bloody rude’, especially considering he was being awarded for his acting career.

Sir Ian McKellen takes a side in Prince Harry v/s the Firm tensions

In the same interview, McKellen expressed sympathy for Prince Harry, supporting the Duke of Sussex’s decision to step away from royal duties. The Burnley-born actor has read Harry’s memoir Spare and owns a copy of it.

According to MailOnline, pointing to a copy of the memoir in his East London home, McKellen said:

I’m most definitely on Harry’s side.

He went on to describe life in the Royal Family as being akin to a 'prison,' where the Royals ‘can’t do anything normal.’ However, he also criticised Harry’s intelligence, stating:

He’s [Harry] probably not bright enough or doesn’t have the right friends to really help himself.

Adding:

Mind you, he had the pick of all the pretty women in the world. I hope he’s got the right one.

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Sources used

Newsweek: Prince Harry Deemed 'Not Bright Enough to Help Himself' by Sir Ian McKellen

The Independent: Sir Ian McKellen says ‘he’s most definitely on Prince Harry’s side’ as he reveals late Queen was ‘rude to me’

MailOnline: Sir Ian McKellen takes savage aim at the Royal Family including 'not bright' Prince Harry and 'deeply unhappy' King Charles... but saves his sharpest barb for the Queen