Nine-time Grammy winner, Billie Eilish's interaction with the "charming" British royals has become the focus of a new viral video after footage of the star recounting her regal meeting has resurfaced on social media site, TikTok.
Eilish came face to face with senior members of the royal family back in 2021, when she attended the London premiere of the James Bond movie No Time To Die. The singer performed the title song used in the movie, which was created in collaboration with her brother, Finneas O'Connell.
Attending the premiere alongside the singer and stars of the movie were Princess Kate, Prince William, King Charles III and Queen Camilla (when they were still Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall).
In a 2022 interview with Australian radio hosts Ryan Fitzgerald and Michael Wipfli (known to their audience as Fitzy and Wippa), Eilish said she was conscious about adhering to royal protocol before meeting Kate and the other royals after the movie screening at London's Royal Albert Hall.
"I was studying what the etiquette was supposed to be," she said. "I was ready to curtsy. I was ready to not shake a hand, I was ready to not ask questions and not speak unless I was spoken to."
In the end, she revealed, the royals themselves were relaxed during the interaction and that there was no need to be concerned about any formality.
"I was so worried about it and they all walked in and were like 'what's up, how are you? How's it going?' And I was all like 'oh my God,'" she said, going on to add: "We thought it was this big, like had to be like 'these are the rules, these are the rules.' And they walk in and [it went out the window] which was great. They were just so nice and charming."
Photographs of the singer meeting Kate were widely shared at the time of the premiere and the event received worldwide coverage, with the princess winning particular praise for her choice of outfit.
Kate made a dazzling impact in a floor-length gold sequin gown with dramatic matching cape element which was designed by Jenny Packham. The design was praised by the fashion press with commentators and social media users linking it to the glamor of the action movie franchise's "Bond girls."
Footage from Eilish's interview was reposted to the official TikTok account fitzywippakate on April 10, quickly going viral to gain over 400,000 views in 24 hours.
The clip has received in excess of 69,000 likes and numerous comments, some of which have praised both the singer and the royals.
Eilish won an Academy Award for her No Time To Die song in 2022, as well as a Golden Globe and Grammy Award.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
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About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
