Denzel Washington got a little tangled up in royal etiquette during his encounter with King Charles at the Gladiator II premiere.

The Hollywood icon, aged 69, was among the celebs who queued up to greet the 76 year old monarch on Wednesday night in London at the film premiere, and it turns out he was quite puzzled about whether a handshake was appropriate.

Caught on camera at the event, Denzel is heard telling the king, “I didn’t know if I was supposed to grab you or not, but it’s my pleasure.”

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He also chatted with the royal about his role in the film, quipping, “Im … just awful … Im a lovely man youll see. Im a lovely chap and doing my best.”

To which Charles responded, “You’ve been in so many films, it’s fantastic.”

The star-studded affair also saw King Charles rubbing shoulders with Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and legendary director Sir Ridley Scott. Making a grand entrance in his state Bentley, the monarch struck a pose for the cameras on the red carpet, donning a classic black tuxedo and bowtie.

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla had to skip the movie night due to a recent diagnosis of a “seasonal chest infection” which also kept her from attending the Remembrance events. However, she did manage to mingle with Tinseltown’s finest at Buckingham Palace before the big night.

Expressing regret to Ridley Scott, she said, “I am so sorry I’m not coming tonight. I’d be coughing throughout it.”