The term Hollywood royalty gets thrown away, but how do the entertainment world’s elite cope when the come face to face with actual Royal Family members.
Spoiler alert – they don’t always get it right, and it usually results in absolute hilarity for the rest of us.
Whether it’s saying the wrong thing, a case of mistaken identity or even a cheeky quip from the royal themselves, it’s safe to say stars both sides of the pond have their own faux pas.
Thankfully, the royals usually have a good sense of humour about these awkward mishaps or lapses in protocol, showing more of an ordinary side to the monarchy.
From Harry Potter actors and British comedy institutions to Hollywood megastars and people accepting a damehood, we’ve gathered some of our favourite interactions between celebrities and various members of the Royal Family.
Take a look…
Gary Oldham gets savage feedback from Prince William
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On September 30, Sir Gary Oldman received his knighthood at Windsor Castle, and he revealed the awkward exchange he had with Prince William at the prestigious ceremony.
The prince told the actor that every time he sees him on screen as Jackson Lamb in Slow Horses: ‘I just want to give you a good wash.’
Gary, whose character is known for his unkept style, teased back: ‘Well, I think I’ve scrubbed up OK today.’
Dawn French talks to King Charles about her beaver
Not a sentence any of us would expect to write or read, but Dawn French gave us all an absolute gem after meeting King Charles at an event when he was still Prince of Wales.
She previously told Virgin Radio: ‘He started it because he had been to see A Midsummer Night’s Dream that I was in. And he said to me, “Well, the last time I saw you, I saw your Bottom.”‘
In response, Dawn referenced her character in the Chronicles of Narnia and joked: ‘Tonight, Sir, you will see my Beaver!’
Spice Girls spice up King Charles’ life
Speaking of bottoms and King Charles, the Spice Girls had their own infamous experience with the then-prince at the height of their fame in 1997.
Geri Horner gave the royal a peck and appeared to pinch his backside, which definitely doesn’t fall under the usual royal greeting.
Years later, she quipped: ‘I didn’t pinch Prince Charles’s bum, as was reported. I patted it.’
Well, that’s alright then!
Eugene Levy stunned by Prince Williams’ wheels
Eugene Levy and Prince William recently met on the grounds of Windsor Castle for the Schitt’s Creek star’s Apple TV+ series The Reluctant Traveler.
The 78-year-old actor was amazed when William appeared round a corner riding an electric scooter, and he quipped: ‘Your royal highness… this is not what I was expecting. This is your mode of transportation?’
William replied: ‘It is round here… It gets around quite nicely here.’
Ben Affleck’s royal playdate
It’s not a stretch to say Prince George and Princess Charlotte are among the most recognisable children in the world.
To everyone, that is, except Ben Affleck, who had no idea who his boy was with at a special play area while he was in London for a film shoot.
‘I noticed this sort of weird vibe from some of the other grown-ups that were there,’ he recalled on the Graham Norton Show. ‘I was the last person in there, for sure, to realise that Prince George and Princess Charlotte were in there playing, and my son was in there playing.’
Prince Philip misunderstood Cate Blanchett’s role
Over the years, Cate Blanchett has got to know the royals, particularly Prince William through her work with the Earthshot Prize.
However, early in her career it was a whole other matter as Prince Philip may have got actor and technician a little muddled.
Appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show in 2018, she recalled: ‘I sat next to [Philip] and he said, “I hear you’re an actor? I was given a DVD player for Christmas and I can’t work out whether I put the green cord in or the red cord.”‘
Dame Emma Thompson’s ‘inappropriate noise’
Dame Emma Thompson is no stranger to the royals, and she’s built up a real rapport with Prince William over the years, having known him ‘since he was little’.
When she accepted her damehood though, things took an awkward turn when she first made ‘a very loud and inappropriate noise in Buckingham Palace’.
Recalling her exchange with William, she added to Live with Kelly and Ryan: ‘”Darling, how are you? I’m so proud of you, can I give you a kiss?” because I’ve known him since he was little.
‘And he said, “No, don’t do that, otherwise everyone will want one.”‘
Margot Robbie ‘offends’ Prince Harry
Margot Robbie has recalled first meeting Prince Harry at a starstudded housewarming party for model Suki Waterhouse.
A mystery redhead answered the door, and the Barbie star pointed out he looked like Ed Sheeran.
‘He got really offended… He was like, “Shut up,”‘ she once told The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, admitting she didn’t realise until later that the man in question was Harry himself.