King Charles and Queen Camilla carried out a string of engagements in London’s East End today – and also visited Barking and Dagenham College with Luther star Sir Idris Elba
The King laughed off Hollywood star Sir Idris Elba’s offer to star in front of the cameras together after hailing him an inspiration. Both Charles and Queen Camilla were taken on a tour of a college film studio named in honour of the Luther star, who trained to be an actor there more than 30 years ago.
It came as the royal couple carried out a string of engagements in London’s East End today, where they met Sir Idris and film production students at Barking and Dagenham College, where Charles said ‘action’ to start filming as he snapped shut a clapperboard.
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The King watched students filming a virtual woodland background, created by an LED media wall that appeared life-like and he told one student that Sir Idris was a “real inspiration”.
The actor then joked with the King asking: “(I) was hoping Your Majesty that we could do an improvisation together.” Charles laughed as he said: “Oh yes, of course,” but did not take Sir Idris up on his offer.
Sir Idris, 53, who first found fame with the acclaimed US series The Wire, got his acting start thanks to a Prince’s Trust grant that helped him attend the National Youth Music Theatre, which gave him the confidence to enrol on a two-year BTec national diploma in performing arts at Barking and Dagenham College.
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The actor, who was knighted in the New Year’s Honours List, has also long campaigned on the issue of youth violence, starting the initiative Don’t Stop Your Future, which works with community grassroots organisations to end knife crime, and founded the grant-giving Elba Hope Foundation with his wife Sabrina Dhowre Elba.
Speaking after the King and Queen’s visit to the college’s Rush Green campus near Romford, the actor said: “(When) I came here, it was a very different building, none of this was all here, it was a bit smaller and I got my confidence, and from here I went to work as an actor.”
Questioned about the importance of receiving the Prince’s Trust grant, Elba replied: “…them granting me that money gave the confidence, not only the facility financially but the confidence to be like ‘I’m doing this’.”
Charles and Camilla had started their day at Barking Learning Centre Community and Family Hub, where they met local community workers providing support to the local and diverse community of Barking and Dagenham.
It comes as members of the royal family have been heckled about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s association with the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal, but when the royal couple began their day meeting local community workers in Barking, they encountered a protest on a different topic.
A small group shouted “free free Palestine” but were drowned out by the noise of cheering crowds during Charles and Camilla’s walkabout.
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