Michael Sheen Delves into the Enigmatic World of Royals, but Declares "Absolutely Not" to Becoming One

Michael Sheen, who recently portrayed Prince Andrew in "A Very Royal Scandal," shares his insights into the complexities of royal life. He concludes that, despite its perceived glamour, he finds it deeply restrictive and incompatible with his values.

Michael Sheen, renowned for his portrayal of Tony Blair in two separate projects, recently embarked on a new challenge: embodying Prince Andrew in "A Very Royal Scandal." This experience afforded him a unique opportunity to delve into the enigmatic world of royalty, and his findings are both captivating and thought-provoking.

Sheen's extensive research for the role revealed a complex and nuanced reality behind the royal facade. While the image of palatial residences, lavish luxuries, and unwavering deference may evoke a sense of grandeur, he discovered a stark contrast: a life constrained by countless restrictions and a profound lack of basic freedoms.

Michael Sheen Delves into the Enigmatic World of Royals, but Declares "Absolutely Not" to Becoming One

"No. The fairytale image of it seems so extraordinary – living in palaces and having everything you want and servants and all that kind of stuff," Sheen remarked. "But the reality seems to be that there are far more restrictions than there are freedoms."

To Sheen, the wealth and privileges associated with royalty pale in comparison to the fundamental freedoms that many take for granted. "No amount of wealth or assets or privilege can make up for not being able to have basic sort of freedoms that a lot of us take for granted. So no, I would not want to have that life."

Michael Sheen Delves into the Enigmatic World of Royals, but Declares "Absolutely Not" to Becoming One

The royal family's relationship with the media, Sheen discovered, is a complex and mutually beneficial one. The two entities engage in constant negotiations, trading favorable coverage for access and discretion. "I’d always quite naively imagined that the media and the royal family were quite separate institutions," Sheen said.

"But then it became clear that there’s all these sort of negotiations that go on between them, and there’s a kind of, you know, ‘Well, if you do this, then we’ll do that. And if you give us this interview, we’ll hide this thing.’ You know, it’s a real – there are deals being done all the time between the two institutions, which I found fascinating, and I didn’t realize that. That was a big surprise."

Michael Sheen Delves into the Enigmatic World of Royals, but Declares "Absolutely Not" to Becoming One

In his research, Sheen came across a particularly telling interview in which Prince Andrew exhibited an unusual and "exposed" laugh, a departure from the usual controlled demeanor of the royal family. "For the royal family, who are usually so controlled, trying to keep things very much under the surface, it was a moment of startling, shocking emotion – even if it was just a laugh," Sheen observed.

Playing Prince Andrew, Sheen encountered a unique challenge: the difficulty in discerning truth amidst a barrage of conflicting narratives. "One of the big challenges with playing Prince Andrew compared to a lot of the people I’ve played is it’s a hall of mirrors with Prince Andrew," he said.

"The royal family is so controlled with what gets out. So you’ve got, on the one hand, very stage-managed photographs and interviews and personal appearances, and then you’ve got, gossip and rumor and, ‘The person who used to be security guard said…’ And you don’t know what people’s agendas are."

Despite the wealth of material available for studying his character, Sheen found the process more challenging than anticipated. The conflicting accounts and hidden agendas made it difficult to determine what to believe.

Sheen's experience portraying Prince Andrew has provided valuable insights into the complex and often paradoxical world of royalty. While it offers a life of privilege and grandeur, it also imposes a heavy burden of restrictions and loss of fundamental freedoms. For Sheen, the allure of royalty fades in light of the constraints it entails, leading him to unequivocally declare, "Absolutely not" to becoming a royal himself.