Meghan Markle joked that her career ‘took a little turn’ while chatting with fellow Northwestern alum Billy Eichner about their acting professors at the Lion King premiere
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Lion King premiere in London last week and walked the red carpet, where she met the actor
- Meghan, 37, and Billy, 40, were both theatre majors at Northwestern University
- The Lion King star explained on the Today show on Tuesday that he and Meghan ended up chatting about their former acting professors on the red carpet
- After he congratulated her on her career, she said: ‘Well, things took a little turn’
- Billy called Meghan ‘lovely’ and said the royals are ‘so cool and down to earth’
Meghan Markle has proven that she has a sense of humor about her unexpected career change, jokingly telling Billy Eichner that it ‘took a little turn’ when she went from being an actress to a royal.
The 37-year-old royal met the Lion King star, who is also a graduate of Northwestern University, at the film’s premiere in London, and it turns out they had plenty to talk about on the red carpet.
‘Meghan and I both went to college together — we were both theatre majors at Northwestern. We didn’t know each other when we were there, but we were there at the same time,’ Billy, 40, explained on the Today show on Tuesday.
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Common ground: Meghan Markle, 37, chatted with Lion King star Billy Eichner, 40, about their acting teachers at Northwestern while attending the film’s premiere in London last week
Look of love: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex held hands as they walked the red carpet at the star-studded event
While watching a clip of his meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the actor, who voices Timon in the Disney remake, shared that he and Meghan bonded over their time at the university.
‘In the middle of this huge royal premiere you’re looking at, right there we’re having a very casual conversation about our acting teachers at Northwestern,’ he said, confirming that they did indeed have the same professors.
Billy went on to reveal the names of their former teachers who had come in up in conversation, saying: ‘Shout out to David Downs and Mary Poole.’
During their chat, Meghan congratulated him on his career, and he was happy to return the compliment.
‘And she said, “Well, things took a little turn,’ he recalled with a laugh, noting that it was a ‘great turn.’
‘She was lovely, and they were so cool and down to earth,’ he added. ‘You would never know that they’re royals.’
Billy previously spoke about their interaction on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, explaining that the ‘intense’ protocol for meeting the royal couple at the premiere intimidated the entire cast.
‘We were all kind of nervous, even Beyoncé,’ he explained. ‘What makes you nervous is that the days leading up to it, they email you a protocol of how you’re supposed to greet Prince Harry and Meghan.’
Jokes: After he congratulated her on her career, she said: ‘Well, things took a little turn’
He’s a fan! Billy called Meghan ‘lovely’ and said the royals are ‘so cool and down to earth’
‘You’re supposed to say, “Your Royal Highness,” you can’t speak until your hands are in a handshake with his.’
Billy also shared that his friend Jared was told to stand behind him and only speak if he was spoken to.
‘I’m not kidding!’ the Billy on the Street star said. ‘I was like, “Does that same rule apply to [Beyoncé’s husband] Jay-Z?” I don’t know. I have a feeling it doesn’t!’
Right before he met the royals, Billy was caught on camera practicing how he was going to greet the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
American royalty: Even Beyoncé, the film’s Nala, was jittery about meeting the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the event
Meet and greet: Billy told Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday that the ‘intense’ protocol for meeting the royal couple at the London premiere intimidated the entire cast
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ysDt1uhqdoM%3Ffeature%3Doembed
In the clip he shared on Twitter, he whispers to his co-star Seth Rogan, ‘[I’m going to say] pleasure to meet you, I’m gonna say it, I’m gonna say it.’
While recalling the moment, the comedian explained to Jimmy that their royal titles threw him for a loop.
‘Your Highness sounds a little weird and bowing feels weird,’ he said. ‘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.
‘I completely freaked out,’ he added. ‘Although, they were very, very nice and totally chill and down to earth and lovely.’
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