Even Hollywood actors could not contain their chill when they met Meghan Markle and Prince Harry during the U.K. premiere of The Lion King. Well, at least Billy Eichner couldn’t. In a new interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, the actor — who voices Timon in the live-action(ish) adaptation of the Disney film — revealed he was nervous about following royal protocol when greeting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
"You're supposed to say, ‘Your Royal Highness,' you can't speak until your hands are in a handshake with his," Eichner explained during Thursday’s show. "My guest I brought with me, my very good friend Jared [Geller], they said he had to stand behind me and not speak unless he was spoken to."
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Eichner joked that the same rule probably does not "apply to Jay-Z," who greeted the royal couple alongside Lion King star Beyoncé. Let’s be honest, though: if America has their own version of Meghan and Harry, it’s Bey and Jay.
While Eichner was freaking out about greeting Meghan and Harry ("In my head, I'm like, ‘What do you call [Meghan]?" I kept thinking she's Princess Markle but that sounds like a character on Super Mario Brothers,” Eichner joked to Kimmel) Beyoncé and Jay-Z seemingly had a much easier time. Bey hugged Meghan on the carpet, and the couple even reportedly shared baby tips with Meghan and Harry, who just had their first child, Archie, earlier this year.
B: The baby, so beautiful. We love you guys.
— Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) July 14, 2019
H: And how are the twins?
B: They are not here. They don’t come on every trip. We left them at home. They would loved to have been here
JZ: The best advice I can give you, always find time for yourself
Me: Surreal pic.twitter.com/douyHQQ53r
Eichner may not be on intimate hug-level yet with Meghan and Harry, but he did tell Kimmel the royals were "very, very nice and totally chill and down to earth and lovely," which is really the most you can ask for when meeting any celebrity...even if you are also one. Eichner also added on Twitter this week that he and Meghan, who are both Northwestern University alumni, bonded over their theater professors.
Eichner may have been intimated by Meghan and Harry initially, but let's not forget: When baby Archie gets old enough to watch The Lion King, it's Eichner's Timon who is going to be the real star.
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