Whoopi Goldberg Recalls Her Touching First Meeting With The Queen

After a historic 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth died at the age of 96. This June, the monarch celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, a never-before-reached milestone for her homeland. Years before, she surpassed Queen Victoria as the longest-serving monarch in British history, per PBS. Her loss spawned an outpouring of tributes, both from political figures like Barack Obama and celebrities like Helen Mirren.

One such icon speaking out about the queen's tragic death was comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg. "The View" moderator recalled meeting Queen Elizabeth II at The Royal Variety Performance in 2009 on Twitter, revealing she was "in awe" upon meeting her. "As she approached me, all i could think of was WTH?? I'm an American kid from the projects and I'm in the company of the Queen of England," she explained. She then wished King Charles III well, adding "God save the king."

After the queen's demise, her son assumed the role of king. Following his mother's tradition of keeping her own name, he is now King Charles III of England, while his son, William, will assume his former title as Prince of Wales. In an official statement, King Charles III addressed his mother's death with a heartfelt tribute: "My family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respects and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held," he wrote in a letter posted to the Royal Family's official Twitter.