The Strict Protocol The Lion King Cast Followed When Meeting Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

"I completely freaked out," Billy Eichner, who voices Timon, recalled of his nerves during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live

By Jamie Blynn Jul 19, 2019 12:35 PMTags
The Lion King London Premiere, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Duchess of SussexDavid Fisher/Shutterstock

OK, now let's get in formation 'cause it's time to meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Ahead of the U.K. premiere of The Lion King last weekend, the cast⁠—which features Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner—were given strict rules on how to greet and act around the royal couple

"You're supposed to say, ‘Your Royal Highness,' you can't speak until your hands are in a handshake with his," Billy, who voices meerkat Timon, explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Thursday night. "My guest I brought with me, my very good friend Jared, they said he had to stand behind me and not speak unless he was spoken to."

"I'm not kidding!" the actor continued. "I was like, ‘Does that same rule apply to Jay-Z?' I have a feeling it doesn't!"

The "intense" protocol, understandably, left the actor feeling nervous, to say the least. "Your Highness sounds a little weird and bowing feels weird," he told host Jimmy Kimmel. "In my head, I'm like, ‘What do you call her?" I kept thinking she's Princess Markle but that sounds like a character on Super Mario Brothers."

In the end, however, everything proved to be hakuna mata

"I completely freaked out," the comedian recalled. "Although, they were very, very nice and totally chill and down to Earth and lovely." Indeed, he's now on a first name basis with Harry!

"OMG Here I am completely freaking out to @Sethrogen about how I'm going to greet Prince Harry and Meghan I'M CRYING," he tweeted earlier this week, adding, "Meghan and I talked about our @NorthwesternU acting teachers (shout out to Mary Poole and David Downs!)."

Watch: See Billy Eichner & Meghan Markle Bond Over Alma Mater

As for American royal, Queen Bey, her interaction with Meghan and Harry largely surrounded their son Archie Harrison, who the royals welcomed in May.

According to The Daily Mail's royal correspondent Rebecca English, Beyoncé told Meghan her first son is "so beautiful," gushing, "We love you guys."

Watch Eichner roar about the Disney flick in the clip above! The Lion King is now in theaters.