Sir Ian McKellen says he “most definitely” sides with Prince Harry when it comes to the ongoing feud among the members of the British royal family, who he equates to “prisoners.”
The “Lord of the Rings” alum and theater legend, 85, revealed his stance in a new interview with The Times of London, published Friday.
“I’m most definitely on Harry’s side,” McKellen said. “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?”
The Duke of Sussex, 39, and wife Meghan Markle experienced tensions within the British monarchy even before they stepped back from senior royal duties in early 2020 — among the issues being allegations of racism and concerns in the family that their son, Archie, could be born with dark skin.
The drama has since reached a fever pitch, particularly in the wake of Harry airing some of the royals’ dirty laundry in his memoir, “Spare,” which hit shelves early last year.
“Hats off to anyone who manages to stay sane in that world,” McKellen said, showing concern for the impact royal life and its expectations must have on someone’s mental health.
“As for Harry, he’s probably not bright enough or doesn’t have the right friends to really help himself,” the actor continued. “Mind you, he had the pick of all the pretty women in the world. I hope he’s got the right one.”
In speaking about the rest of the royal family, McKellen recalled the late Queen Elizabeth II being “quite rude” in their occasional encounters, and said King Charles is “clearly damaged.”
McKellen’s remarks come at a difficult time for the family amid the king and Kate Middleton’s simultaneous treatments for cancer they each announced earlier this year.
Despite Charles’ illness, the 75-year-old reportedly did not make time to see his son when Harry returned to the U.K. in May for the 10th anniversary of his Invictus Games. Though Harry invited Charles, Prince William and Kate Middleton to celebrate the occasion, none of them attended the event.
In late July, it was reported that Charles was ignoring Harry’s phone calls, both about the king’s health and of beefing up security for Harry’s young family amid concerns for their safety.