An openly gay King could raise ‘constitutional issues’ but wouldn’t be impossible, says Stephen Fry

An openly gay king one day could raise “constitutional issues” but would not be impossible, Stephen Fry has claimed.

The broadcaster and author, who is friendly with the royal family, suggested that the concept could be a possibility in the future if the issue of producing an heir was dealt with.

Speaking on the Just For Variety podcast, he said: “I think it would raise constitutional issues in terms of the heir.

“That’s the only boring nonsense about kingship, is that you’re supposed to have an heir, or as the horrible phrase goes, an heir and a spare.”

The 66-year-old TV personality added that the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex are “very gay-friendly” thanks to the tolerant attitude of their father, the King.

The broadcaster explained: “Believe me, they are very gay-friendly and charming. Yeah, they’re part of their generation.

“And they grew up with it because of their father. You know, their father was great friends with, for example, [Sir] John Richardson, the Picasso biographer.

“He and his boyfriend used to stay with the King. And, you know, they were friendly with them both. They had absolutely no issues.”

The King’s second cousin, Lord Ivar Mountbatten, is the first openly gay member of the extended British royal family.

The 61-year-old farmer, geologist and businessman was recently announced to be starring in the third season of The Traitors US hosted by actor Alan Cumming.

Fry added that Prince William and Harry’s attitude to homosexuality is very different to their royal ancestors.

He said: “Each generation, including those two princes, is so much more, you know because they had a great-great-grandfather, George V.

“And if you wanted to know what summed up the casual and hideous homophobia of Britain and probably most of Europe and America at that time, there was a member of the family, the Duke of Westminster, who was about to be arrested and he escaped to France.

“And someone broke the news to the King because the Duke of Westminster was a friend of the King.

“And they said, ‘Oh, have you heard that Lord What’s His Name has gone to France because of that [homosexuality]?’ And the King’s words were just to say very coldly, ‘I thought men like that shot themselves?’.

“Isn’t that the coldest remark you’ve ever heard? And that was William and Harry’s great, great, grandfather.”