Ian McKellen is still recovering from a fall, which happened on stage in London several months ago. He is 85 years old, and the bad fall could have really done some major damage. Instead, he’s just taking it slow and it sounds like he’s even sort of bored these days as he recuperates. Which is probably why he invited a reporter from the Times of London to interview him in his home. The interview starts out with the Times noting all of the books on Ian’s table, as he’s apparently been doing a lot of reading during his convalescence. One of the books was Prince Harry’s Spare! Which started a whole conversation about the British monarchy. Some highlights from Ian’s interview:
He’s on Prince Harry’s side: Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, sits open on the table in front of him. “I’m most definitely on Harry’s side,” he says, tapping it with a finger. What does he mean? “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?”
His thought on Queen Elizabeth II: “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 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!’ ”
Royals and mental health: “Hats off to anyone who manages to stay sane in that world. 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.”
On American celebrities getting involved in the political world: “But I care. And Tom Hanks cares. He does a lot with veterans. And Meryl Streep cares. She told me she had once just sat down for a Chinese takeaway at home when the White House rang. President Reagan wanted to talk to her about foreign affairs because he felt more comfortable with her than his advisers. She is terribly alert [Streep is the narrator of a compelling BBC series on US politics, Corridors of Power]. And Susan Sarandon is in the thick of it too. The problem with America is it’s so big and people in the Midwest don’t relate to those in California or New York. Britain is small and we should value the cohesion we have. Years ago, when I wanted to talk to John Major about gay issues, I saw him at dinner at the National Theatre so I simply leant over the table and said, ‘Can I talk to you about something?’ He had a parent in showbiz [Tom Major-Ball was a music hall and circus performer] and he said, ‘Yep.’ I don’t think you would so easily gain the ear of the US president or Putin.”
For years, the monarchy and the media convinced everyone that Prince Harry was the dumb one, but as we’ve seen in recent years, Harry was the clever brother. Harry was the one who found a way to leave, survive and thrive, all while the dumb brother is trapped in a catastrophe partially of his own making. “As for Harry, he’s probably not bright enough or doesn’t have the right friends to really help himself.” Did Ian mean to say William? Because that would be much more applicable. Hilarious that Ian didn’t even mention William, though. I also agree with him about Charles and Philip, two very damaged, eccentric men who tried to survive the institution. Funny about QEII being rude as hell. I strongly suspect that Ian said more positive things about Harry and Spare, but you have to take into account that this was published in the Times.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.