00:00 You're sitting on the balcony of Buckingham Palace right now.
00:03 Does it ever get normal?
00:05 Well, it's...
00:07 That is a fake palace, Buckingham Palace.
00:11 - Oh. - So you always knew.
00:13 This was on the lot and all you get, you see all the bit behind,
00:16 that was all green screen and there was a load of very bored-looking crew
00:20 looking up at us, you know, as we were trying to imagine
00:23 adoring crowds waving flags.
00:25 I used to watch The Crown before I was in it.
00:29 I always wondered how on earth they got permission
00:32 to go to Buckingham Palace, the exterior.
00:34 Have you not been in films before?
00:36 - Well, that's good. That's a good feedback. - Yeah.
00:42 - It looks real. - Yeah.
00:43 It does, yeah.
00:44 How are your waves, by the way?
00:46 Cos I don't think I'd wave normally again after I'd learnt...
00:49 Phil doesn't wave a lot.
00:51 I never quite worked out what Charles does.
00:53 He's sort of like that sort of thing.
00:55 It's almost like that.
00:57 I saluted a fair bit.
01:00 - Yeah. - Yeah.
01:01 It's funny cos I absolutely loved The Royals
01:03 and I've got some good memories.
01:04 I met the Queen, I went and lined up and saw her coffin.
01:07 12 hours, feet never recovered.
01:09 - Did you? Well done. - Yeah.
01:10 I went and saw the Charles B. Crown.
01:12 I was there in that crowd, but it wasn't a fake crowd.
01:15 - In the rain? - Yeah.
01:17 - Well done. - It was wet.
01:19 - Did he come over to you? - He let loose.
01:21 - The night before? - Yeah.
01:23 I just think, have you got fond memories of The Royals
01:26 when you were growing up?
01:27 Did you like them? Were you interested in them?
01:30 Well, I was six when the coronation happened
01:35 and my mother and father bought a television.
01:41 Our first television.
01:44 There was only another one in the street, I think, in North Wales.
01:48 And my mother put the blackout curtains up,
01:52 which she had from the war,
01:54 and it was a tiny screen.
01:57 And it was three days after my sixth birthday
01:59 and one of the presents I'd been given
02:01 was a toy cannon that fired matchsticks.
02:05 And I remember lying on my stomach, watching the telly,
02:08 and as the coach went past,
02:10 I was firing the cannon.
02:12 - You've been a Republican ever since? - Ever since.
02:14 - Even from being six? - Yeah.
02:16 That's so cool that that's a memory of yours.
02:18 Yeah, a vivid memory.
02:21 My mum was similar, but she had the FA Cup final on
02:23 for the first time on TV,
02:25 rather than inviting everyone around to watch the FA Cup final.
02:29 I always think it's a shame that we don't have moments like that really now,
02:32 but I guess we all kind of get together for moments, don't we?
02:35 - Oh, yeah. - Well, I think that's partly what the Royals are for.
02:38 It's because those are the only moments...
02:40 You remember the street party at the Golden Jubilee and stuff?
02:42 I suppose we still do them
02:45 and it's mainly centred around the Royals.
02:47 Well, in our house, it's mainly around Strictly.
02:50 That's when we gather for family viewing.
02:53 - Fan of it? Big fan? - Of Strictly? Me?
02:56 - Yeah. - Yeah.
02:58 Absolutely love it. Best thing on television.
03:00 - Off the ground? - After the crown.
03:02 - Slow horses. - And Bake Off.
03:05 - Oh, you're a Bake Off fan? - Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
03:07 - Are you any good at...? - I think it's the best television ever made.
03:10 It's just amazing. Because no-one can do it.
03:12 The Americans try, they can't do it.
03:15 - Have you been on Celebrity Bake Off? - No, I can't bake.
03:18 That's the other reason I watch it, trying to learn.
03:21 So, Strictly called you. Are you up for it?
03:23 Sadly, I, in my head, am up for it,
03:26 but my knees are not up for it any more.
03:29 You could be the comedy element.
03:31 You can...
03:33 You're too big now to do reality TV, you two.
03:39 You wouldn't do anything, Dominic?
03:41 I've been dying to be on Strictly.
03:43 I did a whole dance routine in a film I did with Imelda called Pride,
03:47 and I was hoping, as everyone would say,
03:49 "Ooh, you'll be on Strictly."
03:51 Not a tinkle from the telephone.
03:53 I wouldn't qualify because of my years in musical theatre.
03:56 - Yes, he's a professional. - I'm trained.
03:58 - Because you're a winner. - I mean...
04:00 You wouldn't give anyone else... You wouldn't have a chance.
04:03 No. Well, I might have better knees, which I don't.
04:06 Well, I'll put a good word in for you,
04:08 and maybe next year we can see you in Suspenders.
04:10 - My knees gone. - Yeah.
04:12 I've just been speaking to Bertie.
04:14 He said he wants to play you, Dominic,
04:16 in a film playing Prince Charles.
04:19 A bit of a Black Mirror-type weird thing.
04:22 - Wow. God, I'd love to see that. - Who did he talk to?
04:24 - I suppose Bertie. - Bertie Carvel.
04:26 - Tony Blair. - Yeah, I know who he is.
04:30 I was there that day.
04:32 - I mean, that's amazing. - He was amazing.
04:34 Yeah, well, he's played Trump.
04:36 I suppose I'm, you know, next.
04:38 I mean, he's played so many different characters,
04:42 as have you, both of you.
04:44 Has learning lines and things evolved?
04:47 Has technology evolved? Have your skills changed?
04:51 How do you learn things these days? Do you use technology at all?
04:54 Is it always the same thing you've always done?
04:56 Well, just learning them anyway is a major feat at my age.
05:04 No, I don't use anything different.
05:06 There's a huge difference between the theatre and television
05:12 in that, you know, you're doing small bits of dialogue,
05:17 and I mostly learn them while I'm doing them
05:20 or during the camera rehearsal,
05:23 especially if they're conversations.
05:25 Well, Melda told me that she didn't want Jim being involved
05:28 in helping her learn her lines at home,
05:30 so I was wondering if anyone else helps you or do you use...
05:33 No, I can't stand being corrected by my wife, so...
05:37 I'm desperate for... I'm trying to learn a play at the moment.
05:40 It's true, with telly, you can... Short-term memory is...
05:43 My short-term memory is pretty good,
05:45 but as technology gets better, my brain gets older and worse,
05:49 but trying to do a play is a very different story,
05:54 and trying to get someone at home to help me is really hard.
05:57 - Just talk to the mirror. - So boring.
06:01 And you obviously were the son on this.
06:04 Was he a good boy? Was he a good son? Did he behave himself?
06:07 Well, it's... I don't know about that, but...
06:10 - Horrible. - Horrible dad.
06:12 The relationship between Philip and Charles,
06:14 which you see played out in The Crown,
06:17 was a very tricky one,
06:20 and so what you see in this upcoming episode of The Crown
06:26 is Philip in some ways making good his behaviour to Charles through William,
06:33 so he becomes a better grandfather to William
06:37 than he ever was a father to Charles in The Crown.
06:41 We don't know if that's true or not.
06:43 I spoke to Dominic last year at the premiere,
06:45 and I said to you,
06:46 "What would you do if Prince Charles were watching at home?
06:48 What would be your advice?"
06:49 And you said, "Turn it up."
06:51 It's what you told me.
06:53 Has that advice changed at all now? Now he's king?
06:56 Well, I...
06:59 Well, I would never...
07:00 One would hesitate to give anyone of his seniority any advice,
07:05 but I mean, I think it's highly unlikely he's watching this particular part of his life,
07:10 but it would be...
07:13 You know, I'm a big fan of his,
07:16 so I, you know, like you, I've sort of grown really fond of him
07:22 and certainly doing this.
07:24 The more I find out about him, the more I like about him, actually.
07:27 That's so good.
07:28 You are brilliant, both of you.
07:29 Thank you very much indeed.
07:30 I'm just well gel.
07:31 This looks like a lot of fun.
07:33 I want to be here all day with you.
07:34 Thank you so much.
07:35 Thank you.
07:36 Thanks a lot.
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