Sir Paul McCartney: The Queen is the glue that holds Britain together
Sir Paul McCartney has praised the Queen for being the “glue” that holds things together when Britain is “falling apart”.
The singer-songwriter, 77, said that he could not imagine a “President Cameron, Johnson or May” as head of state as he imagined the country without the royal family.
Sir Paul told Radio Times magazine that he and his former Beatles co-stars “all kind of liked the Queen” in their younger days, adding: “It’s an age thing.
“We were kids when she was crowned, so to us she was like a glamorous film star. We identified with her. She’s ours. She’s the Queen.”
Sir Paul, who received his knighthood in 1997, added: “I’ve met her, yes, but never enough. She’s very intelligent. I think she’s a great figure in history.
“When everything’s falling apart in Britain she seems to be the glue. People say (the royal family) costs too much. But then with the money that they bring in…
“To me, I’m not sure I would want a President Cameron, Johnson or May. It just doesn’t sound as good as the Queen.”
Sir Paul talked about his respect for the Queen while discussing the hidden track Her Majesty on the Beatles’ Abbey Road album, which turns 50 later this week.
The musical anniversary will be celebrated across BBC Radio 2 with special programming and a pop-up DAB radio station in honour of the record, with the likes of Gary Barlow and Dave Grohl fronting programmes.
The four-day pop-up on BBC Radio 2, entitled Radio 2 Beatles, will also feature shows hosted by John Bishop, Martin Freeman, Guy Garvey, Giles Martin, Cerys Matthews, Paul Merton and others, along with Radio 2 presenters including Zoe Ball, Sara Cox and Jo Whiley.
The station will be broadcast from September 26 to 29 from London’s Abbey Road Studios.
Radio Times is available now.
