Michael Caine, 91, issues stark defence of British monarchy after Ian McKellen’s savage take on Queen Elizabeth
The 91-year-old acting legend had shared his love for the British monarchy, the late Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles, claiming it would be the wrong decision to get rid of the institution.
The comments, published in Don’t Look Back, You’ll Trip Over: My Guide to Life, stand in stark contrast to fellow thespian Sir Ian McKellen’s recent criticism of the Royal Family.
The intervention comes after McKellen branded the late Queen as “rude” and “quite mad” and suggested Prince Harry was “not bright enough” to cope with royal life.
In his new book, co-written with journalist Matthew D’Ancona, Sir Michael reflects warmly on Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy.
“She had such an extraordinary reign. The outpouring of love and respect when she died was amazing – you could see that she had represented something very special to people.”
The veteran actor recalls how in the 1960s, the monarchy’s survival seemed assured.
“By then, it was already pretty clear that the Queen was doing an incredible job, that she was absolutely right for the challenges she faced,” he notes in the autobiography.
Caine is equally effusive about the current monarch, stating: “I think Charles is turning out to be a great King, too.”
The actor strongly refutes any suggestion that the monarchy undermines British democracy.
“The monarchy isn’t anti-democratic, it’s one of the ways our democracy has lasted,” he argues in the book.
He emphasises the institution’s stabilising role in British society.
“This stable institution at the heart of everything. We’d be mad to chuck that away. I don’t think we will, either,” Caine writes in his conversations with D’Ancona.
His personal connection to the monarchy includes his knighthood, bestowed by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2000.
Two years before his knighthood, he had joined fellow entertainment legends Joan Collins and Shirley Bassey at a Windsor Castle reception with the Queen.
The Batman star previously recalled how the Queen laughed at a joke he told at a meal, but he was not sure if she really found it funny.
He told USA Today: “She laughed. I don’t know if it was out of kindness, but she laughed. But that was the first clean joke I could think of.”
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The actor also revealed that he keeps his knighthood in a special room at his Surrey home alongside his “other valuables”, including his two Oscars.
He added: “Unlike an Academy Award, this is not just for one film. It’s for life. If my life was good enough for a knighthood, I am very happy with that.”