Denzel Washington appeared nervous and awestruck as he shook King Charles III’s hand at the Gladiator II premiere on Wednesday (November 14).
The monarch stepped out solo on the eve of his 76th birthday to attend the sequel’s screening at Leicester Square’s Odeon theater, chatting on the red carpet with director Ridley Scott, 86, and the cast.
The film’s stars lined up to greet the king before heading into the theater. When the King reached Washington after first chatting with Scott and lead actor Paul Mescal, 28, the Training Day star looked flustered, confessing that he wasn’t sure of the proper royal handshake protocol.
“I didn’t know if I was supposed to grab you or not,” Washington joked, adding, “But it’s my pleasure.”
King Charles couldn’t resist asking Washington about his role in Gladiator II, where he plays the villainous Macrinus.
“I’m just an awful… I’m a lovely man, you’ll see,” Washington quipped with a sarcastic grin. “I’m a lovely chap.”
Impressed by Washington’s body of work, Charles remarked, “You’ve been in so many films, it’s fantastic.”
To which Washington replied, “Thank you, thank you.”
Queen Camilla, on doctor’s orders, sat out the evening’s festivities to rest up from a recent chest infection.
“Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest,” read a palace statement, according to the BBC, which also confirmed Camilla’s calendar was effectively cleared until she’s back in full form. “With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week.”
Nevertheless, earlier that day, she rallied to join Charles at Buckingham Palace for a special reception marking the 100th anniversary of the Royal Film Performance – a charity event supporting behind-the-scenes workers in film and TV.
The gathering featured iconic British film costumes and was attended by Prince Edward, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and actors including Damian Lewis, Emily Mortimer, Joseph Fiennes, and India Amarteifio, giving the royals a chance to mingle with industry stars.
During the reception, Charles spoke proudly of Camilla’s recent documentary on domestic violence awareness, Her Majesty The Queen: Behind Closed Doors. “I am very proud of it,” he told Wolf Hall producers Kerene Barefield and Naveed Chowdhary-Flatt, admitting, “It reduced me to tears,” according to Tatler.
