The Duke of Sussex is “probably not bright enough” to have survived royal life, Sir Ian McKellen has claimed.
The actor, 85, suggested that otherwise, Prince Harry did not have the right friends “to help himself”, although he admitted that he was “most definitely on Harry’s side”.
Sir Ian, who is recuperating after falling from a London stage in June, reflected on the trials and tribulations of royal life in an interview with The Times.
Seemingly influenced by the Duke’s memoir, Spare, which he was reading, he said: “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.”