American teen drama royalty crossed paths with a real-life monarch when Ed Westwick met King Charles at a charitable event supporting Asian wildlife.
On May 15, the Gossip Girl alum posted a photo of himself and his wife, Amy Jackson, meeting the King at the Elephant Family’s “Wonders of the Wild” event at Kew Gardens in Richmond, England, earlier in the week.
Jackson, who was born in London, is an ambassador for the Elephant Family, a charity working to conserve Asian wildlife founded by Queen Camilla‘s brother, the late Mark Shand. Mark died in 2014 at age 62, and the King and Queen continue his mission by serving as the organization’s joint royal patrons.
“Thanks to my wonderful wife @iamamyjackson for introducing me to the @elephantfamily . It’s my second event with you and I love to learn and hear about the continued work you do to protect elephants,” Westwick, 37, captioned the snap on Instagram, where he shook King Charles’ hand with Jackson by his side.
“An honor to meet @theroyalfamily whose support has been massive to this organization. Well done everyone for such a spectacular evening,” he wrote, tagging Kew Gardens and Chopard, a supporter of the evening.
Westwick’s snap of the royal encounter opened a carousel of pictures, including shots of the King speaking behind the scenes and him and Jackson posing for a photo before an elephant sculpture.
Ed Westwick and Amy Jackson at an Elephant Family event at Kew Gardens on May 13, 2025.
Chris Jackson/Getty
In a surprise twist, the actor received a comment back from the royal family’s main Instagram page. The team behind the official @theroyalfamily handle that King Charles and Queen Camilla share gave his post a rare reply by dropping emojis of an elephant and a red heart.
While the royal household constantly updates its online presence with the royal family’s latest happenings, it’s unusual for the main account to respond to write back, making the shoutout extra special.
The Royal Family’s comment on Ed Westwick’s Instagram.
Ed Westwick/Instagram
The Elephant Family’s “Wonders of the Wild” celebrated art and conservation, and doubled as a date night for Jackson, 33, and Westick, 37. The couple recently welcomed their first child, son Oscar Alexander, in March. Jackson was already a mom to son Andreas, 5, from a previous relationship.
Jackson also shared an Instagram tribute about the exciting night, including a glimpse of her invitation.
“Such a special night at Wonders of the Wild with @elephantfamily and @britishasiantrust – two charities very close to my heart,” the Supergirl star said, referencing the Elephant Family’s affiliation with the British Asian Trust, a charity Charles founded in 2007 to address poverty and injustice in South Asia.
A photo Amy Jackson shared to Instagram on May 15, 2025.
Amy Jackson Westwick/Instagram
“As an ambassador to the Elephant Family, I’m proud to support their incredible work protecting elephants and promoting human-wildlife coexistence, especially across South Asia,” she wrote on May 15. “We also had the honour of meeting Their Majesties The King and Queen, who are passionate patrons of the charity.”
The Bollywood star also got a shock comment back from the royal family’s main handle, which dropped a teal heart emoji.
King Charles and Queen Camilla both presented awards during the event, which Princess Beatrice and Queen Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, also attended in a show of support.
(Left) Princess Beatrice at an Elephant Family event on May 13, 2025; (Right) Queen Camilla and King Charles at an Elephant Family event on May 13, 2025.
Chris Jackson/Getty
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The night recognized the work of the Elephant Family and the conclusion of the Big Egg Hunt, a public art trail where artists and designers made over 120 egg sculptures for display across iconic spots around London.