Ricky Gervais has slammed Prince Harry and Prince William for reportedly not paying for tickets to one of his shows.
Ricky was appearing on the Stick to Football podcast when he claimed that at one of his shows, he discovered that neither Harry, his brother Prince William, Madonna, or Paul McCartney had paid to attend.
He told the podcast hosts: “Once at a gig, I think it was Hammersmith Apollo, at the back was Harry and William, Madonna and Paul McCartney, not one of them paid. What money have they got between them that lot? Unbelievable.”
As well as discussing famous faces appearing at some of his shows, Ricky also went into detail about the early stages of his stand-up comedy career following the success of The Office, and dispelled one myth about his success.
Ricky’s comments come as rumours continue to swirl about whether Harry will return to the UK after a tumultuous few years since leaving the Royal Family in 2020.
Ahead of his royal revelation, Ricky, 63, said he wanted to quash the myth that he had been an overnight success. He said: “I think people think I was an overnight success, but I was 40, I was doing this for 40 years. It wasn’t like I’d never made a joke before.
“I had 40 years of being around funny people and learning so it all goes in its all practice and I think the best practice is real life for anything.”
This isn’t the first time Ricky has discussed senior members of the Royal Family. Earlier this year, he wrote on his blog about a chance meeting with Harry where he tried to convince him to go to Afghanistan.
Ricky wrote on his blog: “Hammersmith was great… Had a drink after the show with Chris Martin and Prince Harry. As you do. Harry was trying to persuade me to come to Afghanistan to perform to the troops. I said I was too scared.
“He said I could do Basra, which was the safest place. Yeah, the safest place out of all the other places in a war zone… I take risks with my comedy, not my vital organs. I said I’d think about it. On the day of the gig he wound me up by sending me a text saying that he was bringing his gran. I was obviously a bit panicked.”
Ricky’s recollections of a younger Harry, follow allegations by insiders to Royal biographer Omid Scobie that William believes his younger brother has been ‘brainwashed’ reports the Daily Express.
In Mr Scobie’s tome Endgame, a source allegedly told the biographer that William believes Harry has been brainwashed by an “army of therapists”.
It isn’t just in Mr Scobie’s book where there are questions over Harry’s past, there are also questions over his future, as a royal expert has claimed that the Duke of Sussex wants to move away from producing his television documentaries and back into a royal role.
Royal expert Richard Eden claimed that Palace sources say Harry wants to go back to his former royal life so he could make a bigger difference.
Mr Eden explained in the Daily Mail: “Palace officials are increasingly convinced that Harry wants to resume his old way of life, when he felt he was using his privileged position to make a difference for worthwhile causes.
“Harry’s heart is not in the TV stuff – anyone can see that. If the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are prepared to give up their private work and return to royal life, they would be welcomed back.”
