'The Queen' actor Michael Sheen returns royal honour over views on British monarchy

Welsh stage and screen actor Michael Sheen has stoked up the age-old British-Wales controversy after he returned the British monarchy-conferred Order of the British Empire (OBE) to not appear like a “hypocrite”.

While airing his views on the British monarchy and Queen Elizabeth, Michael Sheen did not want to sound a “hypocrite” and thus gave up the honour that he received for his services to drama in 2009. He decided to give up the honor after conducting research into the history of Wales and its torturous relationship with England, particularly the centuries-old practice of handing the title of Prince of Wales to the heir apparent to the English throne, for the 2017 Raymond Williams Society lecture.

"In my research to do that lecture, I learned a lot about Welsh history. I remember sitting there going, 'well I have a choice - I either don't give this lecture and hold on to my OBE or I give this lecture and I have to give my OBE back'."

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Michael Sheen had interestingly played the role of Tony Blair in ‘The Queen’ as he explained why he waited to reveal that he had returned the award. "I didn't mean any disrespect but I just realized I'd be a hypocrite if I said the things I was going to say in the lecture about the nature of the relationship between Wales and the British state."

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For those unversed, Prince William, the current Duke of Cambridge, will become Prince of Wales when his father Prince Charles accedes to the English throne.

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Michael Sheen is best known for his role in 'The Queen', 'Midnight in Paris', 'Twilights' and many others.