Actor Damian Lewis leaves King Charles in stitches with a cheeky comment at glitzy Buckingham Palace reception

King Charles appeared in high spirits today as he shared a laugh with actor Damian Lewis.

The monarch, 75, joined a slew of film and television stars as he hosted a glittering reception to celebrate the centenary of the Film and TV Charity at Buckingham Palace.

Among all the famous faces, it was the 53-year-old Homeland star who made the royal roar with laughter.

Damien is currently starring as Henry VIII in Wolf Hall: The Mirror and The Light – a historical drama following Oliver Cromwell’s last four years of life, which saw him established as one of the most powerful men of the era.

Talking of his role in the show, which the King is understood to have watched with his wife Queen Camilla, Damian cheekily told Charles: ‘At least you can claim not to be related to him!’

Charles found light in the comment and laughed with the actor before adding: ‘You are fantastic in it.’

While the King is not a direct descendant of Henry VIII – his daughter Elizabeth I had no children – Charles is related to the Tudor monarch through Henry’s father, Henry VII.

The King is the Patron of the Film and TV Charity, succeeding Queen Elizabeth II, who had held the patronage since 1952.

In 2022, Damian was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list ahead of her Platinum Jubilee. He was awarded a CBE for outstanding contributions to their community and country.

Elsewhere, King Charles said he had been ‘moved to tears’ by his wife’s documentary on domestic abuse.

Meanwhile Camilla, 77, chatted animatedly with actress Emily Mortimer about her mother Penelope, whom she knows personally.

‘Penny sends her love, ‘ Mortimer told her.

When Her Majesty enquired about how she was, the actress laughed and said: ‘Oh, she’s still smoking as much as ever.’

‘Oh she’s still on the fags!’ laughed the Queen.

‘Yes she’s still on the fags!’ giggled Mortimer.

While acting legend Denzel Washington, who had been expected to attend, was a no-show – although he will meet the King later tonight at the premiere of his new film Gladiator II – the film’s director Sir Ridley Scott was there.

Queen Camilla, who has had to pull out of the event due to an ongoing chest infection, told him: ‘I am so sorry I’m not coming tonight. I’d be coughing throughout it. ‘

The director clasped her hands and told her not to worry at all.

Indeed, the Queen discreetly coughed several times during her shortened appearance at the reception and gratefully sipped on a glass of water, saying she had felt ‘absolutely rotten’ last week but was definitely ‘on the mend’.

Other talent in the line up in the Music Room at the palace included British actor Henry Golding – who told the King how nice it was to be ‘back on British soil’ after after living in LA for 17 years – Emily in Paris star Lucian Laviscount, Mo Gilligan, Claudia Winkleman, India Amarteifio, who played young Queen Charlotte in the Bridgestone spin off, and director Gurinder Chadha.

Other royals present included the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. 

Charles donned a dapper navy pinstripe suit for the occasion, whereas Camilla sported an elegant black dress with white detailing around the collar and sleeves.

Other royals present included the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Founded in 1924, to help people working in the screen industries to overcome a spectrum of personal and professional challenges, today it continues to offer counselling and support with mental health, legal, and financial advice.

Celebrating those who work within the television and film industry in the UK, Their Majesties met guests including directors, actors, TV presenters, stunt performers and costume designers.

And there was even an opportunity to view a number of costumes and items from films including Titanic (1997), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), and the late Dame

Maggie Smith’s costume from Evil Under The Sun (1982), as well as hear music from TV shows, film scores, and musicals, performed by The Countess of Wessex String Orchestra.

As well as teasing the King about his ancestry, Lewis also told him that he watched the Queen’s recent television documentary on the source of domestic abuse and how moved he had been by it.

‘It’s very moving, isn’t it?’ His Majesty said.

The King also spoke to two of the makers of the Queen’s programme, Naveed Chowdhary-Flatt and Kerene Barefield, and told them he had been ‘moved to tears’ when he watched a preview of it in Scotland.

He added: ‘I really am very proud.’ 

Continuing the showbiz theme, tonight the King will attend the global premiere of Gladiator II in London and meet its stars without his wife who has been suffering from a ‘nasty’ chest infection. 

Buckingham Palace announced yesterday that she would be pulling out of the event as doctors continue to prioritise her recovery, and would attend today’s reception for a limited time. 

The queen reluctantly missed the weekend’s remembrance events due to her illness. 

On Tuesday, the Queen reassured she was ‘on the mend’ as she conducted her first public engagement after contracting a ‘nasty’ chest infection.

Camilla, 77, said she was ‘determined’ to meet this year’s Booker Prize finalists at Clarence House despite picking up a seasonal bug which has laid her low for the past week.

She has, however, been forced to pull out of attending the global premier of Gladiator II today with the King and from attending a birthday event with him on Thursday. 

Camilla had been due to join her husband as he opened the first Coronation food hub.

The monarch’s wife is also ensuring those engagements she is managing to attend are shorter than planned in order to manage her recovery.

Arriving in the Garden Room at Clarence House on Tuesday, Her Majesty was immediately asked how she was feeling by Gaby Wood, Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation.

‘I’m getting much better,’ she said. ‘Bit of sort of coughing going on but I really wanted to be here.’

The Queen missed Remembrance events at the weekend on doctors’ advice ‘to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection’ and to protect others, the Palace said.

A source said she had also ‘tweaked’ her diary this week to ‘protect and prioritise’ her continued recovery, with royal doctors keen to prevent any setback from the seasonal illness.

Wearing a white frilled collar shirt by Me and Em and a black pinafore by Fiona Clare, the Queen met Ms Wood and Edmund de Waal, chair of the 2024 judging panel, at the entrance to the garden room.

She posed for photographs with the six finalists before speaking to them in turn. Her Majesty told them she was ‘determined’ to be there as she was ‘so impressed’ by their writing.

Camilla, who coughed a handful of times during the engagement, had been due to host the finalists at a reception, but due to her lingering symptoms, she instead met them for a brief chat which lasted just under 15 minutes.

Second-time finalist Percival Everett, author of James, thanked the Queen for meeting them all and enquired about her health.

She told him: ‘I’m on the mend, these things always take a bit of time to get rid of… but hopefully I’m on the mend now.’