King Charles makes surprise appearance at sold-out Shakespeare play in Stratford-upon-Avon
King Charles delights theatergoers with surprise appearance at sold-out performance of Shakespeare Storm at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire.
The King took his place among the public to watch the production starring Sir Kenneth Branagh.
Upon the King’s arrival, the crowd greeted the King with cheers.
He was welcomed by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox, along with Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) joint artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey.
Inside the auditorium, audience members in the dress group looked down while those in the booth recorded the moment with their phones as Charles sat in the backseat.
He was seated between Mr Evans and Miss Harvey, and close to Sir Richard Eyre, who also directed the RSC performance.
During the intermission, the King was offered a drink before meeting with the RSC’s in-house costume department, where he admired the tiara previously used in the company’s costume department. Edward II production last year.
She also touched the fabric of the dress worn by Dame Judi Dench in the 2003 film All’s Well That Ends Well, and admired David Tennant’s suit and dress from her role in the 2013 film Richard II and the costume worn by Sir Antony Sher in the 1984 production of Richard III.
King called the costumes “wonderful.”
Charles is the late Queen Elizabeth II, who has held patronage of the company since its founding in 1961. Following in Elizabeth’s footsteps, she has become a patron of the RSC since 2024.
Sir Kenneth plays the role of Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, for the first time in a career that has included 35 Shakespeare productions.
The Tempest, one of the last plays written by Shakespeare, is in theaters until June 20.
Mr Evans and Ms Harvey, joint artistic directors of the RSC, said: “It was a great honor to welcome His Majesty the King back to the Royal Shakespeare Theater for this landmark production of The Tempest, which marks both Sir Kenneth Branagh’s historic return to Stratford-upon-Avon for the first time in over 30 years and Sir Richard Eyre’s debut with the company after a long and distinguished career directing on the British stage.”
