Hugh Skinner didn’t feel at all daunted to be playing Prince William, even though new Channel 4 comedy The Windsors mercilessly mocks our future monarch and his family.
In fact the W1A star relished the chance…
"It’s nice to play someone real," said Hugh. "Not that I’ve met Prince William or know much about him behind closed doors. But it’s nice to wonder how he’d say things. You can't help wondering what royal lives are like because it’s so extreme and strange being born into all that."
In the new six-part comedy, starting on Friday, Prince William is shown working undercover in a kebab shop, where no one knows his true identity. Wills is longing for the days when he can go back to being a helicopter pilot, but his dad is stopping him…
"Prince Charles is forever trying to talk his son out of being a helicopter pilot again, although William eventually goes against his father’s wishes. I’m glad because I really enjoyed the scenes with Wills in a helicopter. They were filmed in a real helicopter and I was given four buttons to push, but one time I must have pushed a wrong one as it starting beeping. Suddenly the crew rushed over because apparently I’d put it on auto pilot.
"It’s great to have Harry Enfield playing my screen dad Prince Charles. I’ve been a huge fan of his since I was teenager. Harry’s voice is brilliant and they even gave him prosthetic ears. Hopefully if any of the royals do watch The Windsors they can laugh along. It would be hard not to."
Prince William’s wife Kate (Louise Ford) and her sister Pippa (Morgana Robinson) also get quite a ribbing in The Windsors. Kate seems to be particularly hated by Camilla (Hadyn Gwynne).
"They’ve given Kate a Gypsy background, which was great," said Hugh. "It’s way out there, and makes for great jokes!"
WATCH > The Windsors' trailer "]
