Sir Jonathan Pryce says Prince Philip was “removed from racist”.
The 75-year-old actor will play the late Duke of Edinburgh within the fifth and sixth seasons of the hit Netflix drama ‘The Crown’ and has claimed that Philip’s well-known gaffes have been as a result of he was a “product” of his time.
Jonathan advised the Day by day Telegraph newspaper: “The very first thing younger individuals say about him is that he was racist. Removed from it. He was a product of a time when there was informal racism however I do not assume he was racist in any respect.
“He was very smart, curious, and in his time progressive. He toured, lectured, spoke, inspired. Although he felt hidebound by being a part of the monarchy, he did what he might.”
Jonathan defined how chatting with carriage-drivers – a interest the late royal took up for enjoyable later in life – supplied him with priceless perception about Philip.
The ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ star stated: “I had seen him as not very outgoing, fairly aloof, however after I began to speak to individuals who knew him – the carriage-driving fraternity and ‘The Crown’s’ particular advisers on protocol who have been very near him – it was clear that he was a fantastic individual to spend time with, very humorous, very vigorous. Nobody I spoke to had a nasty phrase to say.”
Jonathan defined that portraying Philip – who died aged 99 in 2021 – was his hardest “performing problem”.
He stated: “It was my greatest performing problem – and continues to be.
“After he died, it acquired much more daunting. You watched the documentaries honouring him and his grandchildren and noticed how he was cherished by his youngsters and grandchildren and abruptly there was this aspect of him that the general public weren’t conscious of. He was a fantastic shock. I want I had identified extra about him over time.”