Sir Ian McKellen confirms he’s a Charli XCX fan: ‘I can’t get enough of him’

It’s a Sir Ian McKellen summer! The legendary gay actor and national treasure appeared at the first-ever Windsor and Eton Pride, over the weekend, where he declared himself a Charli XCX fan.

On Saturday (28 July), McKellen made a surprise appearance at Windsor and Eton Pride’s main stage for the premiere of the film Dragged Through Time. 

14-year-old Jacob Franklin directed the film, which explores 1,000 years of gay history. The 86-year-old Lord of the Rings actor plays the role of Great Uncle Peter, a semi-closeted older relative of the film’s main protagonist.

The film was created in partnership with Windsor and Eton Pride and local youth drama group, Notice Productions.

@pinknews

The first-ever Windsor & Eton Pride made a powerful debut on Saturday 26th July, attracting over 9,000 attendees to Alexandra Gardens for a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion and community spirit. The landmark event, the culmination of two years of dedicated volunteer effort, saw hundreds march along the historic Long Walk with the iconic Windsor Castle as a backdrop. A highlight of the day was a surprise appearance by Ian McKellen, who addressed the main stage, emphasising the profound importance of Pride. He was introduced by 14-year-old Jacob Franklin, director of the film ‘Dragged Through Time’, which chronicles episodes of gay history and premiered at the event. McKellan joined the Pride march and was later asked by @Liam <3 if he liked Charli XCX. McKellan gave an enthusiastic, yet hilarious, response: “Oh I can’t get enough of him!” #ianmckellen #charlixcx #windsorandeton #pridemonth #pride #lgbtqia

♬ 360 CHARLI XCX – Spedupsongs333

While at the landmark Pride event, which attracted over 9,000 attendees, McKellen got to weigh in on some pop culture, including Charli XCX. When asked if he likes the singer, the actor responded: “I can’t get enough of him.”

The interviewers began to laugh and McKellen quickly tried to correct himself regarding pronouns: “Her? Them? Them.”

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In another interview, McKellen praised the event: “It’s amazing to me that there’s every sort of person here, every age, there are babes in arms, there are dogs, whether they’re gay, straight or trans, I don’t know. But they’re here to have a whale of a time.”

He was also asked what piece of queer history is important to him. “For me, and the people of my generation, Section 28,” McKellen explained. He then encouraged viewers to “Google it” and educate themselves on the infamous 1980s legislation banning to so-called ‘promotion’ of homosexuality in schools.

The landmark Windsor and Eton Pride event saw hundreds march along the historic Windsor Castle Long Walk.

The event culminated in Alexandra Gardens. Here, there was a stage for a diverse array of performances. There was also a range of zones, including the Community Zone, Karaoke lounge and health zone. 

The event was also awarded a Gold Award by the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for its commitment to sustainability.

“When we set out to create the first Pride in Windsor, we did so to fill an important gap,” stated Steve Harris, Chairman of Windsor and Eton Pride. 

“In this era of increasing global anger and hate, it is so important that people have a place where they can be themselves and express themselves. To this end, it was so fantastic to see so many young people participate in our event.”

Next year’s Windsor and Eton Pride has already been booked in Alexandra Gardens for 25 July 2026.