Daniel Radcliffe has kind words for President – Invites Obama Girls to Harry Potter set

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe is delighted with the new American President but not a fan of the Royal Family in his own country.

Describing President Barack Obama as “everything the rest of the world liked about America and now likes again,” Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe offered to show the first daughters around Hogwarts. It’s good to be the presidents daughter. They’ve already been invited to hang with Hannah Montana, now Malia and Sasha Obama also have the chance to meet Harry Potter.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to issue a public invitation to the Obamas that if their daughters would like a private tour of the Harry Potter set, I would be honored to be their personal tour guide,” Radcliffe told The Daily Beast.

Radcliffe, who will soon begin filming the final installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, said he was “so proud and happy” for America, calling Obama “both Martin Luther King and JFK.” Added the actor, “He is a symbol of progress which is what we dig about this country. What you love about England is all the old buildings and such. The traditions. I love that, too. But this is what we want from you.”

The London-born star though doesn’t understand his native country’s admiration for the reigning Queen Elizabeth II and her heirs because he doesn’t believe the upper classes should be celebrated. And though he recognizes he is above working class himself he believes the royal family epitomizes what is “wrong” with the U.K.
He tells the Daily Beast website, “I am not a royalist. Not at all… I just don’t see the use of the monarchy – though I am a fierce patriot. I’m proud proud proud of being English, but I think the monarchy symbolizes a lot of what was wrong with the country. Not that they’re doing anything wrong – but that symbol of class division is not something I particularly like – and I am a very upper-middle-class kid.”

Radcliffe also weighed in on the Queen’s grandson Prince Harry’s off-color remarks he taped himself, in which he referred to a Pakistani Army colleague as ‘our little Paki friend’.

He adds: “I have nothing against the royals as people. I’ve never met them. But in terms of that particular comment about Pakistanis, Prince Harry said a very stupid thing. He was probably very young at the time. I hope he has learned since not to say such a thing or at least learned not to be filmed saying it. The big deal to me was his wearing a Nazi uniform at that costume party.” The young royal caused outrage last month in 2005 when he was photographed at a friend’s fancy dress party wearing a Nazi soldier uniform.

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