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Kelly Rissman
US News Reporter
Sir Ian McKellen has claimed the late Queen Elizabeth II was “quite rude to him” on the occasions they met.
The veteran British actor, 85, was knighted for services to the performing arts in 1991 and had met the Queen at least once when she personally appointed him Companion of Honour (CH) for his services to drama and to equality in 2008.
The Lord Of The Rings actor said he thinks the late monarch was “quite mad at the end” as he described some unpleasant encounters with her.
“The Queen, I’m sure she was quite mad at the end. And on the few occasions I met her she was quite rude,” he told The Times. “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, but then she said, ‘Does anyone still actually go to the theatre?’.
“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!’”
The Burnley-born actor went on to demonstrate how the late Queen shook his hand, claiming she “shoved” him away as he offered his hand and added: “That was her handshake and it meant, ‘Go! Go!’”
During the same interview, Sir Ian asserted his support for Prince Harry as the duke’s estrangement with his brother and father continues.
Reportedly pointing to a copy of Harry’s bombshell memoir, Spare, in his east London home, Sir Ian said: “I’m most definitely on Harry’s side.”
He added: “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,” he said.
“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.”
His comments come after his dramatic fall on stage as he lost his footing during a production of PlayerKings at the Noel Coward Theatre in June.
He has since been dealing with a chipped vertebra and fractured wrist and has since said he is taking the rest of the year off from acting to recover.
