Princess Diana film producer denies British actors will be barred from Prince William role over Brexit

The producer of Spencer, a film starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, has clarified the casting process after a row broke out over the role of Prince William.

A casting call for the role of the young royal was posted online, with a note stating that British actors need not apply for the role “due to new Brexit rules from 1 January 2021”.

The post was picked up by several media outlets as actors expressed their disappointment that British actors would not be cast, due to Brexit ending freedom of movement.

However, Deadline now reports that UK producer Paul Webster is meeting with British actors for the part, and Brexit will not impede the casting process.

“We’re meeting British boys all the time for this role,” he said. “If they happen to have an Irish passport all well and good. But it’s not a hindrance to have a British passport. We’re not saying we need a foreigner to play Prince William.”

The Atonement producer said that many of the cast will be British, while other members will be European “to meet certain funding requirements”.

“But this is an official co-production with Europe so we don’t anticipate any issue with our British cast working in Germany. There is no connection to Brexit,” he said.

The UK is due to leave the EU on 31 December 2020. So far, a post-Brexit agreement has not been made.

Kristen Stewart recently said she feels “protective” towards Diana after preparing to portray her onscreen.

The drama takes place over three days, in one of Diana’s final Christmas holidays in the House of Windsor at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

“I was really young, [I] didn't know what was going on,” she told Jimmy Kimmel of what she remembered of Diana’s death. However, she added that it was hard “not to feel protective of her. She was so young”.

She later said that “everyone’s perspective is different” when it comes to the various portrayals of Diana over the years.

Princess Diana is currently played by Emma Corrin in season four of The Crown, on Netflix.

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