'The Crown's' Matt Smith: Prince Philip is the most popular royal amongst staff
If you love Matt Smith's portrayal of Prince Philip in Netflix's "The Crown", then you're seriously going to love what Smith had to say about Prince Philip in real life.
The 35-year-old actor, who was most recently nominated for an Emmy for his work on the most recent season, talked to Variety about preparing for his role as the patriarch of the royal family.
"All the research I did found him to be brilliantly funny, very clever, very popular. In the royal house he’s the most popular of all of them," Smith explained in the interview. "If you’ve talked to any of the staff, Philip’s the one they all love really. I think more than a lot of them, he’s a bit more of a man of the people."
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He continued:
"The royal protocol hasn’t dogged him in quite the same way his whole life and there’s a sort of rebellion in him and a naughtiness and a cheekiness. I think he’s quite affable and open by all accounts with the staff. They all love him."
The Duke of Edinburgh, 97, has made headlines in the past for a handful of controversial gaffes, but has mostly been represented by the media in a "cheeky" light and is known for his hilarious quips. As reported by The Mirror, he once asked a British trekker in Papua New Guinea if he had gotten "eaten" during his trek, and called the Duke of York's home a "tart's bedroom."
The royal only retired from public engagements this past summer as the "longest-serving royal consort in British history." While Prince Philip's declining health has been an area of concern, many were delighted to see him attend his grandson Prince Harry's wedding in May. The duke most recently stepped out alongside the queen for a church service this past weekend.
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