Russell Crowe ignored royal protocol when he met Princes William and Harry.
In a Twitter thread ahead of King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, the “Gladiator” star recalled calling the royal siblings “mate.”
“I thought the equerry was going to pass out,” Crowe remembered.
Why? Because “in any meetings with Royalty, I haven’t yet been able to utter the ‘your highness,’” the New Zealand-born actor explained. “It simply doesn’t come out of my mouth. It’s not in my dna.”
The greeting wasn’t meant as “any disrespect or discourtesy” though, said Crowe. “Far from it. I was pleased to meet them.”
In the thread, Crowe also sprang to the defense of King Charles III.
The then-Prince of Wales struck him as “kind,” “funny” and “deeply intelligent and good company” when they met at the “Master & Commander” premiere in 2003. “I’ll never forget the warmth in our last handshake. Good bloke.”
Crowe said he wasn’t a monarchist but was “sure” Charles would “do the very best job he can.”
“I don’t think any of us can really understand what that life of duty and expectation must feel like,” Crowe noted. “He’s taking over the family business. That is his destiny. Like it is for many, from publishers to plasterers.”
Read Crowe’s full thread here:
