Denzel Washington won’t bow to authority, not even the King of England. The legendary actor has been making media rounds promoting the long-awaited sequel, Gladiator II. During London’s premiere of the movie at Leicester Square, Washington had an interaction with King Charles that had fans hailing him as the “true king.”
Gladiator II‘s world premiere in London was filled with the creme de la creme of England, including the monarch himself. King Charles III, whose battle with cancer slowed down his royal engagements, made a grand stop in a black tuxedo and a bowtie. However, before he stepped onto the red carpet, the area had to be secured, as is often the case with royal protocol. When the security was trying to clear the area and approached Denzel Washington about leaving, he refused.
A fan with the handle @falconsnat on X recounted the incident. “Fun fact: Denzel was told to go inside because the king was here, but he told security, ‘I make my own rules’ and continued to talk to us,” they wrote. The fan proceeded to share two photos of the security agent trying to escort Denzel Washington off. Rather than follow him, the Training Day actor turned to the crowd and mouthed something to them.
Hours before the premiere, King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the cast of Gladiator II in a glittering reception held at Buckingham Palace. Per Daily Mail, Washington was a no-show at the ceremony.
Denzel Washington Hailed For Choosing Fans Over Royal Protocol
Although the 69-year-old missed the Buckingham Palace event, he had his time with King Charles at the premiere. Before the film’s screening, the duo shook hands as the monarch met with each cast member on the red carpet.
Fans online, however, couldn’t help but discuss Denzel Washington disobeying royal protocol. “That’s classic Denzel! Always staying true to himself, no matter the situation,” one follower gushed.
“As Denzel should. He’s the true king!” declared another fan.
“Denzel stood his ground, choosing fans over protocol. That’s the kind of star power I admire,” praised a third commenter.
“I guess they didn’t get the memo. Denzel Washington is royalty, too, and will see the King when he’s ready,” a fourth comment read.
“Denzel Washington doesn’t need a royal invitation to do his own thing. King Charles might rule the UK, but Denzel rules the red carpet,” this fan wrote.
Amid the promotion for this movie, Mr Washington opened up about his career and retirement plans. The two-time Academy winner told Yahoo UK, “It’s not over, let them know it’s not over, I’m not retiring tomorrow. I said I have all these films to do, and then I want to get behind the camera.”
Following the viral event, neither Washington nor the royal family have addressed what went down. It seems there is no bad blood there, just love for the fans.
