Natalie Portman Recalls Hilarious Question King Charles Asked Her at 1999 “Star Wars” Premiere

The actress says King Charles asked her if she also starred in the original 'Star Wars' films at the London premiere for 'The Phantom Menace'

Natalie Portman is looking back on meeting King Charles!

During Portman's appearance on Andy Cohen's Watch What Happens Live Monday, the host, 55, prompted the May December star to recall her encounter with the British monarch at Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace's London premiere in 1999.

“I remember Prince Charles — he was then Prince Charles — asked me if I was in the originals," Portman, 42, confessed.

Her recollection earned some laughter from Cohen and the show's audience, given that she was still in the early stages of her career when The Phantom Menace released 16 years after the original Star Wars trilogy wrapped with 1983's Return of the Jedi.

"I was like, ‘I’m 18,' " Portman shared with a laugh. "But he was very friendly.”

Related: Natalie Portman Was 4 Months Pregnant When Everyone Thought She Was 'Ready to Pop' at 2011 Oscars (Exclusive)

Portman notably starred in George Lucas's prequel trilogy as Padmé Amidala, a central figure in the series' story and eventual mother to beloved lead characters Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.

“It was amazing. It was the first time I had ever shot digitally," Portman said, when asked how she considers her time working on those movies, which also included 2002's Attack of the Clones and 2005's Revenge of the Sith.

She added, "I don’t think anyone was shooting that way then. First time working with a green screen — it was just like a whole new set of skills to pick up and a whole new world to enter and obviously all of the Star Wars mythology that everyone lives in in this country. To get to be part of that was awesome.”

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Portman has referenced her interaction with Charles, who was still the Prince of Wales at the time, in the past. A 1999 BBC News article concerning The Phantom Menace's premiere reported that Portman said the royal asked her whether she had appeared in another Star Wars movie and "and if she had enjoyed working with Mr. Lucas."

"I told him I wasn't born when the first Star Wars film was made and that George was very easy to work with," she told the outlet at the time.

The royal family has retained an interest in Star Wars in the years since. Prince William and Prince Harry even made cameos as stormtroopers in 2017's Star Wars: The Last Jedi after making a visit to the film's set.

Related: May December PEOPLE Review: Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman Face Off in an Unsettling Comedy

As for Portman, she has not appeared in Star Wars franchise since Revenge of the Sith wrapped up her character's storyline in the prequel trilogy. In the 2005 film, Padmé dies during childbirth.

However, Portman has now said multiple times this year that she would be open to reprising her role.

“No, there have not been, no one has asked me," she said on Watch What Happens Live, when two fans called in to ask whether there's been conversations with Lucasfilm about potentially playing Padme again. "But I’m open to it.”

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