Prince Harry reveals who he’d like to play him in The Crown during James Corden interview

In a lively and unexpected appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, Prince Harry revealed which actor he’d like to play him on the Crown, defended the Netflix series, and opened up about his relationship with Meghan Markle.

The royal was taken on an open-top bus tour of Los Angeles, during which Corden quizzed him about his thoughts on the Netflix drama, including who should portray him as an adult in future episodes.

At first forgetting the actor’s name, Harry suggested fellow redhead Damian Lewis, with Corden saying that the Homeland star was a “great shout”.

“I think Damian Lewis as you and me as William, that’s casting,” Corden said, with Harry sarcastically replying: “It’s not great casting, but it is casting.”

While The Crown will air for two more seasons, with Imelda Staunton taking over the role of Queen Elizabeth from Olivia Colman, Harry and his wife, Meghan, will not be portrayed on the show.

Read more: How to watch Harry and Meghan’s big Oprah interview

Elsewhere on The Late Late Show, Harry his thoughts on the controversy around The Crown’s accuracy, and defended the historical drama against criticism it was inaccurate. He said he believes it gives viewers a “rough idea” about the pressures of royal life.

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Last year, the hit series came under scrutiny from critics – including culture secretary Oliver Dowden – who called on Netflix to add a “fiction” disclaimer at the beginning of each episode.

Netflix, however, rejected the idea and said The Crown has always been presented as a work of fiction.

“We have always presented The Crown as a drama, and we have every confidence our members understand it’s a work of fiction that’s broadly based on historical events,” a statement from the streaming service said.

“As a result, we have no plans – and see no need – to add a disclaimer.”

Harry and Meghan signed a deal with the streaming giant in September last year that will see them produce documentaries, docu-series, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programming.

The couple said their new endeavour would be focused on “creating content that informs but also gives hope”.

Also during the Late Late Show episode, Harry was also treated Corden to a performance of Will Smith’s famous rap from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

In the sketch, Corden suggests that Harry and his wife Meghan Markle should find a base in Los Angeles, showing him to the mansion originally used in 1990s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

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“If it’s good enough for the Fresh Prince, it’s good enough for a real prince,” Corden said.

Harry and Markle moved to Los Angeles last spring, after revealing that they were stepping back from their role as senior members of the royal family.

The episode of The Late Late Show was filmed earlier this year. Last week, the couple confirmed they would not be returning as working royals.

Harry denied walking away from his responsibilities, saying his decision to step away as a front-line member of the royal family in order to protect his wife and son and his mental health.

“It was stepping back rather than stepping down,” he told Corden. “It was a really difficult environment, which I think a lot of people saw, so I did what any father or husband would do and thought, ‘How do I get my family out of here?’ But we never walked away, and as far as I’m concerned, whatever decisions are made on that side, I will never walk away.”

The appearance marked Harry’s first interview since his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, stripped the prince and his wife, the former actress Meghan Markle of their remaining royal duties earlier this month.

The interview is something of a coup for Corden, as it was released ahead of Harry and Meghan’s widely anticipated sit-down with Oprah Winfrey. The Oprah interview is scheduled to air on 7 March.