There’s no ignoring the fact Ringo Starr grew up in England. He still speaks with his Liverpool accent even though he moved away. The drummer and his Beatles bandmates saw Queen Elizabeth II be coronated in 1953, and she might remain his monarch even after her death. Ringo criticized then-Prince Charles with six simple words years ago, so we’re pretty sure he won’t be eating parasitic fish at the king’s coronation celebration.
Ringo Starr received a postcard in 1969 with a photo of then-Prince Charles on it
Ringo lost some prized Beatles memorabilia during a 1979 house fire. Many of the postcards George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney sent him over the years survived, and Ringo compiled them in the book Postcards From the Boys.
The collection hints at how much he treasured the correspondence — they all appear to be lovingly looked after. That includes a postcard from John and Yoko Ono to Ringo and his family in 1969. A young, smiling Prince Charles adorns the front. John’s simple “Hello” message graces the back.
Ringo’s book also includes memories and thoughts about each piece of mail his bandmates sent him. When describing John’s postcard, Ringo criticized the person who is about to become King Charles.
Ringo criticized the future king with six cutting words: ‘We don’t really need a king’
Ringo surely knew the queen would pass along the crown at some point. And he probably understood Prince Charles would likely succeed her. Yet that didn’t stop Ringo from criticizing him in Postcards From the Boys, which he published in 2004. He took a shot at the future king that showed he’s not very enthusiastic about having a man in charge:
“The future what! God save the Queen, if you know what I mean. We don’t really need a king.”
Ringo’s most savage commentary came in those last six words: “We really don’t need a king.”
He spends most of his time away from England, but Ringo has a common thread connecting him to his fellow citizens. Based on his criticism, he doesn’t seem too excited about King Charles leading the royal family, and neither do many Britons. King Charles has long been unpopular. The way he treated the widely-beloved Princess Diana turned some people against him.
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Even as he prepares to accept the crown, many citizens want Prince William to become king over his father. That’s not how the monarchy works, but Ringo’s cutting words about then-Prince Charles illustrate his feelings for England’s king.
Queen Elizabeth knighted The Beatles in 1965
Ringo criticizing the king could come from the same place as his countrymen. Or the drummer might just have a soft spot for the former queen.
She awarded The Beatles MBE honors at the height of international Beatlemania in 1965. John sent his back a few years later. George turned down the queen’s offer of knighthood before he died. That leaves Ringo and Paul as the only Beatles to be knighted.
Queen Elizabeth personally knighted Paul, one of the few musicians to receive that honor. Ringo became Sir Ringo when Prince William performed the ceremony in 2017 (albeit years after France gave him a rare artistic honor).
Ringo Starr criticized then-Prince Charles with six simple words — “We really don’t need a king.” Whether he likes it or not, the one-time prince will soon officially become a king.
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