Encountering the future King and Queen Consort is a rare occurrence, but that’s precisely what Jay Leno experienced in 2011. A video from The Kelly Clarkson Show has recently resurfaced on the internet, recounting the amusing tale of Jay’s unexpected interaction with the Prince and Princess of Wales one morning.
In the video snippet, which has garnered more than 66,000 views on X (formerly Twitter), the American television host reminisced about the surprising moment when he encountered William and Kate while going to pick up his Sunday newspaper from his Beverly Hills home’s driveway.
Jay described the astonishment he felt as soon as he stepped out of his front door in the cul-de-sac neighborhood, saying, “As I reached the top of my driveway, I saw two impeccably dressed individuals standing there.”
Continuing to vividly recreate the scene on the show, Jay proceeded, saying, “In character, a man turns around, and I say, ‘Prince William?’ He responds with a friendly ‘Hello!'”
Jay, staying in character, then inquired, “‘Kate Middleton?'” and playfully altered his voice to mimic the Princess, who responded with a charming, “‘Lovely home!'”
With the nonchalance of someone accustomed to encountering British royals in their driveway, Jay then inquired of the duo, “What has brought you to my driveway?”
The audience of the show was informed by Jay that his neighbor is a generous philanthropist who, on that particular morning, was hosting a children’s charity event on his front lawn. The Prince and Princess of Wales, who were in the US on an official tour, had made an unexpected visit to express their gratitude.
Continuing with humor, the host of The Tonight Show recounted that William had inquired if they could remain on Jay’s lawn while waiting for their car to pick them up.
Amusingly, Jay responded, “You are more than welcome to stay on my driveway for as long as you like!”
Afterward, he went back into his house and shared the surprising encounter on their driveway with his wife, although she found it difficult to believe. Jay conveyed to his wife, saying, “I told my wife, ‘The future King and Queen of England are standing in the driveway!'”
