Sir Ian McKellen Claims Queen Elizabeth Was 'rude' To Him

Sir Ian McKellen is convinced the late Queen Elizabeth was "quite mad" at the end of her life and was "bloody rude" to him when they met.

The 'Lord of The Rings' star has looked back on the times he came face-to-face with the monarch - who died in 2022 aged 96 - and revealed she seemed to be dismissive of his acting career when she handed him the Companion of Honour medal in 2008 for his services to drama.

He told The Times newspaper: "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, 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!’"

During the interview, he also explained the Queen's forceful handshake was her way of getting someone to move on, saying: "That was her handshake and it meant, ‘Go! Go!’"

Ian also voiced his support for Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex after he stepped away from royal duties and started a new life in California with his wife Megha, Duchess of Sussex and their two children.

He said: "I’m most definitely on Harry’s side ... 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. 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."