Luke Thompson recalls “weird” encounter with Queen Elizabeth

2026-03-03 - 18:34

British actor Luke Thompson has shared details of a rare and memorable encounter with the late Queen Elizabeth II. During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the actor—best known for his role as Benedict Bridgerton—recounted the incident. When Fallon asked about the time he performed for the Queen, who passed away in 2022, Thompson replied: “I did get to perform once in front of the Queen.” The event took place during his time at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. The 37-year-old actor (note: Luke Thompson was born in 1988) explained that the academy’s students were positioned in various settings to perform monologues as the Queen toured the building. Thompson described the structured nature of the visit: the Queen would enter a room, stop in front of a student, and that student would then perform their piece. “It was like a weird sort of game show,” he joked. “And she stopped in front of me.” While the In The Club star noted that he thoroughly enjoyed the experience, he humorously added that the Queen might not have shared his enthusiasm, as she was famously more of a horse racing fan than a theater aficionado.