HIS MAJESTY THE KING JOINS SIR KENNETH BRANAGH & SIR RICHARD EYRE FOR OPENING OF THE TEMPEST IN STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
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Today (Friday 22 May), the Patron of the Royal Shakespeare Company, His Majesty King Charles III, joined audiences at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon for a performance of The Tempest directed by Sir Richard Eyre and starring Sir Kenneth Branagh, who is playing Prospero for the first time in a career that has included thirty-five productions of Shakespeare to date.
On arrival, His Majesty was met by the Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Mr Tim Cox, and representatives of Stratford-upon-Avon as well as RSC Co-Artistic Directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey and RSC Development Director Robert Dixon, before taking his seat for the performance.
During the interval, His Majesty met with members of the RSC’s in-house costume team; Alistair McArthur (Head of Costume), Emily Kiefer (Head Costume Cutter) and Hazel Coombs (Assistant Textile Effects Supervisor) to hear more about the specialist skills and craftsmanship involved in the creation of costumes for the stage and to view a selection of costume items from the RSC’s historic archive; one of the most significant Shakespeare and theatre collections in the world, spanning from the 1600s to the present day.
Items on display included costumes worn by Sir Antony Sher from Richard III (1984), Dame Judi Dench’s Countess costume from All’s Well That Ends Well (2003), David Tennant’s robe and gown from Richard II (2013) and the crown from the RSC’s 2025 production of Edward II, in which Co-Artistic Director Daniel Evans played the title role.
Following the conclusion of the curtain call, His Majesty was escorted backstage to meet members of The Tempest cast and creative team including director Sir Richard Eyre, cast members Sir Kenneth Branagh, Amara Okereke, Ruby Stokes, Ashley Zhangazha, Fred Woodley Evans, Paul Jesson, David Bark-Jones, Henry Pettigrew Mark Meadows, Keir Charles, Guy Henry, Philip Childs, Darrell Brockis, Halle Brown, Amber Sylvia Edwards, Razak Osman, Stuart Edgar and Tallulah Hamilton Barr and musicians Joseph Roberts, Kadialy Kouyaté, Sidiki Dembélé and Solá Akingbolá.
While backstage, His Majesty also met some of the 70+ strong team of Front of House and production staff responsible for bringing The Tempest to the stage including members of Automation, Stage & Props, Running Wardrobe, Stage Management, Lighting, Sound, Video and Production Management.
There, His Majesty also met with RSC Running Wardrobe Apprentice Hassan Ahmed and Learning Partnerships Manager Kris Overend, alumni of the King's Trust, to hear more about their respective routes into the industry.
RSC Co-Artistic Directors, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey said: “It was a tremendous honour to welcome His Majesty The King back to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre for this landmark production of The Tempest, which marks both Sir Kenneth Branagh’s historic return to Stratford-upon-Avon for the first time in over thirty years and Sir Richard Eyre’s début with the company after a long and distinguished career directing for the British stage.
Of course, none of the magic we see realised on our stage in The Tempest would be possible without the incredible team of 100+ staff and freelance artists from across the company, who have collaborated to bring this epic production to life. Nor would this work be possible without the continued support and investment of our dedicated community of patrons, donors and supporters, every one of whom plays a unique and important role in helping to bring world-class theatre to audiences and inspire deeper understanding through the power of storytelling.
A Shakespearean through and through, it was particularly special to hear His Majesty thank the ‘unsung’ heroes on and off-stage, from our specialist production and technical staff to our dedicated Box Office and Front of House teams.”
His Majesty has served as the RSC’s Patron since 2024, following Queen Elizabeth II who held the patronage since the company’s creation in 1961.
His Majesty studied Shakespeare as a student at Gordonstoun, playing Macbeth there in 1965.
In April 2016, the then Prince of Wales visited Stratford to mark 400 years since William Shakespeare’s death. His Royal Highness joined renowned theatre actors on stage at Stratford and performed Hamlet as part of Shakespeare Live! from the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon, featuring performances that celebrated Shakespeare's legacy.
ENDS
For further information, please contact Kate Evans (Head of Media) on 07920 244 434 or email: kate.evans@rsc.org.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Tempest runs in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 20 June 2026.
'But this rough magic I here abjure.'
On a remote island, an exiled Duke prepares to perform his swansong, his great act of revenge.
Prospero summons his magical gifts into a devastating sea storm which hurls a ship’s crew onto the island – among them his usurping brother. With supernatural islanders as unwilling agents of his scheme and the castaways spellbound, Prospero’s plot advances. Old scores must be settled; his daughter Miranda must find love.
But as his vision unfolds, a different ending emerges – one of forgiveness, love, compassion. And with it, the chance to renounce his magic forever.
The full company comprises: David Bark-Jones (Alonso), Kenneth Branagh (Prospero), Darrell Brockis (Boatswain), Halle Brown (Spirit), Keir Charles (Trinculo), Philip Childs (Master), Stuart Edgar (Offstage Understudy), Amber Sylvia Edwards (Spirit), Tallulah Hamilton Barr (Offstage Understudy), Guy Henry (Stephano), Paul Jesson (Gonzalo), Mark Meadows (Antonio), Amara Okereke (Ariel), Razak Osman (Spirit), Henry Pettigrew (Sebastian), Ruby Stokes (Miranda), Fred Woodley Evans (Ferdinand) and Ashley Zhangazha (Caliban).
The full creative team includes Set Designer Bob Crowley; Costume Designer, Fotini Dimou; Lighting Designer, Hugh Vanstone; Composers, Akintayo Akinbode and Stephen Warbeck; Sound Designer, Nicola T. Chang; Video Designer, Akhila Krishnan; Movement & Intimacy Director, Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster and Casting Director, Charlotte Sutton CDG.
The Tempest is supported by RSC Production Circle Members Serrie and Ian Meakins
Background on The Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company (R.S.C.) is a leading global theatre company that sparks local, national and international conversations that build connections, create opportunities and bring joy.
The R.S.C. passionately believe that great storytelling can change the world, and that theatre offers its own unique form of storytelling: it’s live and shared, and transforms a group of strangers into audiences who, together, experience a story come to life in front of their eyes.
The Royal Shakespeare Company collaborate with the most exciting artists to tell the stories of our time, and through a range of programmes we nurture the talent of the future.
The company performs on three stages in its home in Stratford-upon-Avon, in London and in communities and schools across the country and around the world. Its transformative Creative Learning and Engagement programmes reach over half a million young people each year.
As a global centre for skills development, the RSC plays a key role in championing skills and talent, training the next generation of theatre makers in their craft. The RSC’s thriving apprenticeships programme provides work-based routes into theatre for young people from underserved communities and/or lower socio-economic backgrounds, with past apprenticeships including roles in Costume, operations, automation, learning, front of house, scenic engineering, carpentry and props.
