The force is strong with pair of royal stormtroopers
THE Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry are to have cameo roles in the next Star Wars film after all, John Boyega, who plays Finn, a stormtrooper with a conscience, has said.
The pair visited the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi in April 2016 and were rumoured to have filmed a scene in disguise but at the time Boyega said: “No comment.” Now he has revealed that he will appear in a scene with the pair “wrapped in stormtrooper costumes”.
He also suggested that the actor Tom Hardy will appear beside them, beneath a face-obscuring helmet.
Boyega made the disclosures during an interview with the Hollywood Reporter. He said it was a “great experience” to work alongside the brothers in the film, which is out next month.
Gary Barlow, the former Take That singer and The X Factor judge, confirmed earlier this year that he too will have a cameo role in the film.
There had been speculation about the princes’ appearance in the film after they were seen on its film set during an official visit to Pinewood Studios last April. At the time they were pictured as they met Luke Skywalker himself, Mark Hamill, and Harry received a bear-hug from Chewbacca.
After being shown around the studio, it is understood that the stage was cleared – leaving the two princes, the director, producer and essential crew members to secretly film the scene that could feature in the eighth Star Wars blockbuster, the then unnamed Episode VIII.
A source said at the time: “The line given was that they were going to have lunch and a private tour of the rest of the set.
“What really happened is that the director came over and told them it was time to ‘get suited’ and off they went to the wardrobe department.
“The princes dressed up in full stormtrooper gear and filmed a scene in which Rey and Finn infiltrate a secret base. The rebel characters are in a lift with Benicio del Toro’s character when a group of stormtroopers enter – two of whom are William and Harry.”