Veteran actor Sir Ian McKellen has shared his thoughts on the pressures of public life. He suggested Prince Harry is not "bright enough to help himself in a withering critique of the Royal Family.
The iconic actor, known for his roles in the Lord of the Rings films and the X-Men franchise as well as Samuel Beckett plays with friend Sir Patrick Stewart, He expressed sympathy for the Duke of Sussex's experience of royal life, which he likened to a "prison".
In an interview with The Times, the 85 year old star 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?" Reflecting on his encounters with the late Queen Elizabeth, whom he found somewhat rude, Sir Ian suggested that the demands of royalty could drive anyone slightly mad: "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," reports the Express.
Read more on manchestereveningnews.co.uk