Ian McKellen Admits Queen Elizabeth Was 'Quite Rude' to Him on the 'Few Occasions' They Met

Sir Ian McKellen isn't one to filter his opinions.

In a new interview, the British actor confessed he isn't the biggest fan of the royal family or the monarchy lifestyle in general.

"The Queen, I’m sure she was quite mad at the end. And on the few occasions I met her she was quite rude," the Oscar nominee, 85, admitted of greeting Queen Elizabeth II , who died at age 96 in 2022.

"When I received a medal for acting [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," he noted. "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 Lord of the Rings alum then demonstrated the late matriarch's handshake with the journalist, noting that before you can actually shake hands, a guard shoves you off: "It meant, ‘Go! Go !’"

McKellen also mentioned her late husband, Prince Philip — who passed at age 99 in 2021 — claiming he was one of the few royals who stayed down to earth.

"Hats off to anyone who manages to stay sane in that world. Like the Duke of Edinburgh managed to do, although even he was deeply, deeply eccentric and I suspect deeply unhappy," the Golden Globe winner spilled.

"Same with the present king [ King Charles , 75]. He sort of survives, but he is clearly damaged," McKellen assumed. "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."

When it comes to the family's ongoing feud against the Duke of Sussex , 39, McKellen said he's "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," he pointed out. "Can you imagine having to be nice to everyone you talk to?"

As OK! reported, Harry's relationship with his relatives soured when he and wife Meghan Markle stepped down from their royal roles and moved to California in 2020. Things worsened as the couple began to shade the monarchy in various interviews and in Harry's shocking memoir, Spare .

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The Times spoke to McKellen.