Prince Andrew played a big role in ensuring ‘Journey’s End’ made it to cinemas.
The Duke of York is said to have been instrumental in persuading Warner Bros. to allow the screen rights for R.C. Sherriff’s World War I play of the same name, about a group of soldiers in the trenches in 1918, to be used for the big screen adaptation in the centenary year of the end of the conflict.
Co-producer Guy de Beaujeu said: "He understood the great significance of the film being part of the centenary events, and responded really well."
Warner Bros. added to the Daily Mail newspaper that they were "happy to grant the rights to make a feature film of this important play, recognising its cultural and historical significance during the 100th anniversary commemorations of World War I".
The duke visited the set of the movie – which stars the likes of Toby Jones, Paul Bettany and Sam Claflin – during filming but is said to have turned down the chance to make a cameo.
Another event Andrew will no doubt play a big part in is the upcoming wedding of his and Sarah Ferguson’s daughter, Princess Eugenie, and her fiance Jack Brooksbank after their engagement was confirmed earlier this week.
Reacting to the news, Andrew said: "I’m absolutely overjoyed. I’m thrilled. Jack is an absolutely outstanding young man and Eugenie and him have got to know each other over a number of years. I’m really thrilled for them.
"I can’t speak for the duchess but we, and for Beatrice, we are overjoyed at the news today that Eugenie and Jack have got engaged."
The duke wished the couple "every happiness" and admitted autumn 2018 would be an ideal time for their nuptials, which will be held at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, south east England.
He added: "I think the autumn will be the time everybody’s looking at. We can’t fix a date yet – we’ve got to look at everybody’s diaries. It’s a bit more complicated than that. But It’s their day, I’m just completely overjoyed for them and wish them every happiness."
Eugenie and Jack look set to tie the knot in October after his grandmother Joanna Newton admitted this week that there were too many other royal engagements booked for September.
She said: "It will be down in Windsor and it will be in October."
Prince Andrew helped put Journey’s End on big screen
