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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Kevin E G Perry

Kevin Spacey claims he got message of support from King Charles - then adds ‘I don’t want to drag him into all of this’

Tim P. Whitby - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Kevin Spacey has hinted that King Charles III sent him a message of “support” amid the actor’s various sex scandals.

The House of Cards star, 64, claimed that while he hasn’t heard from the monarch “directly”, he did receive word from him.

Spacey told Piers Morgan on his controversial Uncensored program that King Charles had done an “extraordinary job” over the years with the Prince’s Trust charity, a group that helps young people build confidence and find jobs.

When Morgan asked whether the King reached out to Spacey after his recent scandals blew up, the actor replied: “No, I haven’t heard from him directly, no.”

Pressed on whether he had received a message through other people, Spacey admitted: “That may be true.”

He added: “I heard a message, yes, and I’m very, very grateful for that.” At Morgan’s insistence, Spacey confirmed that the message was one of “support.”

Kevin Spacey and King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, attend The Prince’s Trust Celebrate Success Awards in London in 2015 (Tim P. Whitby - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

When Morgan asked if that had meant a lot to him, Spacey deflected: “Yeah, but look, I don’t want to drag him into all this.”

Spacey was presented with an honorary knighthood by then-Prince Charles in 2016.

The actor also told Morgan that he had written a letter to King Charles but had not yet sent it to him.

Spacey’s appearance on the show follows the Channel 4 documentary Spacey Unmasked, which aired fresh allegations about the American Beauty star last month. In a promotional video teasing the interview, Morgan called Spacey “one of Hollywood’s biggest villains both on and off screen” and promised the actor would address the sexual assault claims against him.

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Spacey was last year acquitted of a number of sexual offenses alleged by four men in the UK to have taken place between 2001 and 2013.

Each of Spacey’s accusers gave evidence in the trial, describing him as a “vile sexual predator”, “slippery” and “atrocious, despicable, [and] disgusting.”

In response, the two-time Oscar winner described the allegations against him as “madness” and a “stab in the back”. The jury acquitted Spacey of all charges.

Morgan claimed Spacey would also discuss other “scandals that have engulfed him”, including his association with Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew.

Spacey has hinted that King Charles III sent him a message of “support” amid the actor’s various sex scandals (Piers Morgan Uncensored/YouTube)

News of Spacey’s appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored has been met with mixed reactions, with some fans calling him a “phenomenal actor” while other users called the booking an “interesting” choice.

Spacey was one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood when allegations of sexual misconduct were first made in 2017, leading streaming giant Netflix to cut ties with the then-star of House of Cards. The actor Anthony Rapp was the first to accuse the Hollywood A-lister of misconduct, telling BuzzFeed News that Spacey tried “to seduce” him when he was just 14. In 2022, a New York jury dismissed Rapp’s claims of sexual abuse.

Channel 4’s recent documentary Spacey Unmasked interviewed 10 men not involved in the 2023 criminal trial.

Spacey described the claims as “anonymized and non-specific”, before writing off the program as “a dying network’s one-sided ‘documentary’ about me in their desperate attempt for ratings”.

He added: “Each time I have been given the time and a proper forum to defend myself, the allegations have failed under scrutiny and I have been exonerated.”

Sharon Stone, Stephen Fry, and Liam Neeson all subsequently spoke out in support of Spacey’s return to Hollywood, calling him a “genius” and “fun”.

Channel 4 stood by its documentary, broadcast over two nights at the start of May, saying in a statement: “Spacey Unmasked is an important film exploring the balance of power and inappropriate behaviour in a work environment, aiming to give a voice to those who have previously been unable to speak out.”

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