King takes a cameo role in rival series with Hollywood A-listers
IT was not intended to be provocative – but the King was yesterday filmed for a documentary series that happens to be broadcast on Disney+, one of Netflix’s biggest rivals.
His Majesty and the Queen met Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mcelhenney, the Hollywood stars, at Wrexham AFC, and were likely relieved to hear that neither had watched the Harry & Meghan documentary.
“I’ve never heard of it,” Mcelhenney joked. Reynolds also insisted he had not seen it, mischievously adding: “As a Canadian, and I’m sure Rob will speak as an American, we are not steeped in the culture as one would be growing up in the UK.”
The actors bought the Welsh football club for £2 million in 2020 and star in a Disney+ documentary called Welcome to Wrexham, which documents their efforts to revive the club’s fortunes.
Season ticket sales have almost trebled in the past two years and more than 9,800 fans, near capacity crowds, now regularly attend their home games.
The series was being filmed as they joined the royals to meet players and staff, raising the prospect that Charles might find himself pitched against his younger son in the ratings battle.
The actors joked that they had taken etiquette lessons ahead of the visit and Reynolds admitted he was “impossibly excited” to meet His Majesty.
The Deadpool star, who owns his own brand of Aviator Gin that sponsors the club, also joked that he did not want to cause offence by presenting it as a gift to the King and Queen.
“That might create a conflict of interest,” he said. Buckingham Palace launched its own gin in July 2020, made with botanicals from its own garden.
The King spoke of Queen Elizabeth II’S “great love” for Wales, noting that Wrexham was among the eight communities granted city status to mark her Platinum Jubilee.
He also paid tribute to the Welsh national team, who became the first to qualify for a World Cup for 66 years when they played in Qatar last month, adding: “The motto of Welsh football – Gorau Chwarae, Cyd Chwarae (Best Play, Together Play) – sums up the spirit of community, and of joint endeavour, which is so important to Wales, and which, over the years, I have come to know and value more than I can possibly say.”
The King wished players luck for today’s game, while Camilla told a player: “It’s an extraordinary story.”
Charles chatted to head groundsman Paul Chaloner, asking him: “This is proper grass isn’t it? Not that plastic stuff?” he was assured it was real turf.