The celebrity world definitely has a hierarchy. Reality stars are often not considered on the same "level" as dramatic actors, while TV stars are usually considered less highbrow than film actors. But even Hollywood's biggest A-listers fall beneath the royal family when it comes to celebrity status. So it's no wonder that many celebs get totally starstruck when meeting the royals.
Hollywood and the royal family overlap a lot these days, with Prince William and Kate Middleton often attending awards ceremonies or charity functions alongside Hollywood's elite. Even Queen Elizabeth has met her share of famous actors and musicians.
Because we'll probably never get to shake hands with the Duke of Cambridge or have tea with the Queen, these celebs helped us out by revealing what their own royal experiences were like. Spoiler alert: Many of the encounters were pretty nerve-wracking for the stars. Meeting royalty can definitely do that to a person.
The Beatles
In 1965, the Beatles got their MBEs (Member of the Order of the British Empire) from the Queen. Reflecting back on the moment years later, Paul McCartney recalled that they didn't take it all that seriously.
"Some equerry to the Queen, a Guards officer, took us to one side and showed us what we had to do." Paul said. "'Approach Her Majesty like this and never turn your back on her, and don't talk to her unless she talks to you.' All of those things. For four Liverpool lads … it was quite funny. She was sweet. I think she seemed a bit mumsy to us because we were young boys and she was a bit older."
Cindy Crawford
In an Instagram post for the anniversary of Princess Diana's death a few years ago, Cindy remembered meeting the beloved royal in the 1990s.
"I think Prince William was just starting to notice models, and she thought it would be a cute surprise for him and Prince Harry," Cindy said of why she was invited to the palace. "I was nervous and didn't know what to wear, but remember as soon as she came into the room and we started talking, it was like talking to a girlfriend. She was a class act and showed us all what a modern-day princess should be."
Geri Halliwell
Young Prince Harry got to meet the Spice Girls when he and his father, Prince Charles, attended a concert in South Africa in 1997. Geri Halliwell (aka Ginger Spice) has since gone on to become a good friend of Harry's.
"I've seen him since he was about 10," she said a few years ago. "I have seen him grow up. It is brilliant what he is doing with his life. I think he is a great ambassador for showing people that we care, and he's got great spirit and heart."
Eddie Redmayne
Actor Eddie Redmayne and Prince William both went to school at Eton and were good friends there — even playing rugby together. Eddie told the Daily Mail of their rugby-playing days: "I always felt slightly sorry for Will because everyone wanted to tackle the future King of England. He took all the hits."
Cate Blanchett
Cate, who once played Queen Elizabeth I in a movie, was previously invited to a lunch with the Queen and Prince Philip. The Queen's husband jumped at the chance to talk to the actress — but not about her work. "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.'"
Surely there was a footman at the palace who could have helped with that!
Shawn Mendes
Shawn Mendes was one of the performers at the Queen's 92nd birthday celebration in 2018, and while he did stand near the Queen, they never spoke — mostly because Shawn was following protocol.
"I'm standing there waiting to go on stage and the Queen just walks up next to me and she's standing there," Shawn said on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. "You're not allowed to speak to her unless she speaks to you first. So it was like this 10 minutes of very awkward silence between me and the Queen. She didn't look at me at all. I looked over a couple of times and I was like, 'I probably shouldn't even be looking.' It was super weird."
One Direction
The One Direction bandmembers met Kate Middleton at the Royal Variety Performance a few years ago. Each of them has a hilarious story about how it went. "It's the most nervous I think I've ever been in my life," Liam Payne said. Louis Tomlinson added that his nerves made him forget protocol: "I didn't say 'ma'am.' I said, 'Hi, How are you? I'm Louis.'"
But the biggest protocol breach went to Harry Styles, who dared to comment on Kate's barely there baby belly. "I said congratulations on the bump," Harry recalled. "She didn't look bumpy."
LeBron James
Speaking of breaking protocol, NBA player LeBron James put his arm around Kate when they took a picture together. Touching the royals is a big no-no, but LeBron is used to taking photos with fans all the time, so we can't blame him. LeBron gifted the Cambridges a jersey for their young son, and later Photoshopped George wearing it. "My lil guy Prince George was excited about our win last night as well," he joked.
For the record, a palace spokesperson let LeBron off the hook on the shoulder touch. "When members of the royal family meet people, they want them to feel as comfortable as possible. There is no such thing as royal protocol," the spokesperson said.
Allison Janney
Actress Allison Janney ran into the Cambridges after the BAFTAs, and she later recalled the story on The Late Late Show. "I did meet Kate and William, and she was in her heels and pregnant, so I felt like a bit of a wimp that I was there in my bare feet," she said, having taken off her own heels following the awards ceremony. "I told her that I was in bare feet, and I told her that she should take her shoes off because she's pregnant, and it was an awkward moment. Because I did, I called her 'honey,' and that might've not been royal etiquette, probably."
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez's mom got the surprise of a lifetime when she got to meet William and Kate. J.Lo ran into the royal couple at the 2011 BAFTA Brits To Watch event, where her mom, Guadalupe Rodriguez, happened to be her date. Later, Jennifer raved about the Cambridges on Twitter. "Had fun with my mom! The Duke & Duchess were simply charming!"
Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren infamously played Her Majesty in the 2006 film The Queen. She must have done a good job, because the Queen invited the actress to Buckingham Palace in 2014. Helen later said that she was starstruck meeting her. "You're thinking, 'It's the Queen, it's the Queen,'" Helen recalled. "I am genuinely always astounded by her aura, her twinkle, her presence. It never fails to surprise me and again it's what everyone says when they meet her — it was what overwhelmed me the first time I met her."
Taylor Swift
Jon Bon Jovi, Taylor Swift, and Prince William is not a combination of celebrities that makes a lot of sense, but the three did sing a surprise rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" together during a palace gala. "I was surprised and flattered, and it felt surreal and completely natural at the same time," Taylor told the Daily Mail of the moment. "I still can't believe I've sung with Prince William."
Reese Witherspoon
Actress Reese Witherspoon met the Duchess of Cambridge during a charity event in 2011, and later wrote a whole passage about it in her book Whiskey in a Teacup. "I don't even know how I got so lucky as to receive the invitation," she wrote. "The scream that issued from my lips upon receiving it — you would have thought I was going to die." She also noted the duchess "did not disappoint!"
"She was just lovely and warm, elegant and composed. She also told a joke, and I immediately fell under her spell. She's just as magnificent as she seems to be. She's a very compassionate, socially conscious, deeply caring person."
Billy Eichner
On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Billy Eichner said the whole cast of The Lion King was nervous to meet Meghan Markle and Prince Harry at the film's London premiere — even Beyoncé. "What makes you nervous is that in the days leading up to it, they email you a protocol of how you're supposed to greet Harry and Meghan, and they were very intense about it," Billy recalled. "I'm not kidding. You’re supposed to say, 'Your royal highness.'"
Still, once the Sussexes were there, he said they "were very, very nice and totally chill and down-to-earth and lovely."
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck's son, Samuel, can officially say he's played with royalty. While in London during the filming of Justice League, the actor took Samuel to an indoor playground. It just so happened to also be where Prince George and Princess Charlotte were hanging out that day.
"It was pretty empty and then I noticed this weird vibe from the other grown-ups," Ben said. "They were all very well-dressed and they had earpieces, and I thought, 'For a kids' place, this is tight security.' I was the very last person to realize that Prince George and Princess Charlotte were in there playing with my kid."
