Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner Recall the 'Big Moment' They Saw Beyoncé Meet Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Exclusive)
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12/23/2024 05:00 PM
"We saw it all happening," Billy Eichner tells PEOPLE of the 2019 'Lion King' premiere that brought Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle together
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(Left-right:) Seth Rogen and Beyoncé; Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the London premiere of 'The Lion King' in 2019Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner are recalling a pivotal moment in history: when Beyoncé met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the 2019 premiere ofThe Lion King.
"They try to keep the cast as far away from us as possible," quips Eichner, 46, who voices meerkat Timon in the photorealistic remake and its new prequelMufasa: The Lion King. Nevertheless, he and Rogen, 42 (who voices warthog Pumbaa), met their costar Beyoncé (who voices lioness Nala) at the movie's London premiere on July 14, 2019.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were in attendance at the starry event, as Eichner remembers. "That was the first time she met Meghan Markle," he says of Beyoncé, 43. "And that was a big moment."
Related: A Complete Timeline of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's Exit from Royal Life
"We saw it," confirms Rogen, who remembers walking the red carpet with Beyoncé and the likes of Elton John, Pharrell Williams, Hans Zimmer and Jon Favreau. The Grammy winner, who wore an asymmetrical shimmery gold gown for the event, was later photographed speaking to Harry, 40 and Meghan, 43. Beyoncé's husband Jay-Z also chatted with the royal couple.
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(Left-right:) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Beyoncé and Jay-Z at the London 'Lion King' premiere in 2019The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
"We saw it all happening," recalls Eichner, adding, "that's when Harry and Meghan were still over there" in the U.K. The couple moved to Meghan's hometown of Los Angeles with son Archie in March 2020 after announcing they were stepping back as senior members of the British royal family under Queen Elizabeth II, breaking with tradition.
"I think that was the night they were like, f--- this," jokes Rogen with a laugh.
"'Let's get the f--- out,'" quips Eichner. "Centuries of the monarchy died at the hands of the Lion King royal premiere."
Harry and Meghan have continued to spend the majority of their time in America, raising Archie, 5, and daughter Lilibet, 3. King Charles III, 76, rules the U.K. following the death of his mother Elizabeth II in September 2022 at age 96.
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Kiara (voiced by Blue Ivy Carter) and Simba (voiced by Donald Glover) in 'Mufasa: The Lion King'Related: Beyoncé, Donald Glover and 'The Lion King' Cast Stun in Gorgeous Cast Photo
Beyoncé, Rogen and Eichner reprise their voiceover roles from that fateful remake in Mufasa: The Lion King, in theaters now. Directed by Barry Jenkins and written by Jeff Nathanson with original songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda, it stars Aaron Pierre as Mufasa and Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Taka a.k.a. Scar, plus the voices of Blue Ivy Carter, John Kani, Tiffany Boone, Anika Noni Rose, Mads Mikkelsen and more.
