Actor Eddie Redmayne, who plays Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, has revealed that he and Prince William used to play rugby together, and despite his royal status, “felt sorry” for him at times.
The pair were in the same year at Eton – the prestigious boarding school located in Berkshire.
“We were on the same rugby team at Eton College,” Eddie, 33, told Glamour magazine in a recent interview. “He’s a wonderful man.”
“I always felt slightly sorry for him because everyone wanted to tackle the future king of England. He took all the hits.”
The Golden Globe winner has previously spoken about his royal connection, as he and Harry were both members of the elite group, the Eton Society.
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Redmayne has also then admitted to not sharing the Prince’s passion for music and drama. “I don’t think singing was this thing,” he joked.
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A sporty Prince William during his days of schoolboy rugby.
In the same interview with Glamour, Eddie talks about landing his most recent role in the new biographical drama, out January 29.
“I chased it pretty hard,” said Eddie. “I called [the director] James [Marsh], and we met in London. He drank a few coffees; I downed a few pints. As I got more tipsy, I got more effusive about my desire to play this part. I had no idea that there was such an astounding story behind Hawking.”
The star married Hannah Bagshawe last month on December 15 at Babington House in Somerset. The couple have been together since 2012.
