Although Matt LeBlanc has found prime-time success post-Friends, it seems like the spectre of Joey Tribbiani is still close behind.

LeBlanc recently appeared on Conan O’Brien’s late night TBS show and told a story about meeting Prince William and Harry of the British royal family. “I went to this exhibition polo match one time, the princes were there and they were playing,” LeBlanc said. “I went to this thing. You get invited by the royals, you go. There was a big line to go and meet them afterward. So I went and I got in line and met the princes… both of them, William and Harry.”

The audience broke into laughter as LeBlanc continued: “All they want to know is, ‘When is the Friends reunion?’ That’s all they wanted to know about.”

Apparently the ex-NBC star wasn’t in the mood to talk about his former role. “’I told them to f*** off,” he revealed, smiling cheekily as the audience howled in appreciation.

Perhaps a commoner dropping the f-bomb in front of the princes would have ended up in the stockade, but LeBlanc suffered no such fate – he insisted that they were “really cool” about it. Kidded O’Brien, ‘That’s why we’re at war with England!”

LeBlanc is navigating the talk-show circuit to promote the fourth season of his Showtime series Episodes. His character, also named “Matt LeBlanc,” is described as an arrogant, larger-than-life narcissist – a far cry from the lovable, slightly dim Tribbiani, whom LeBlanc played for ten seasons before Friends wrapped in 2004.

He joked to Meredith Vieira on her show earlier in the week that while he would welcome a Friends reunion, he doubted it would have the same success as its predecessor.

“Nobody wants to see Joey at his prostate exam,” LeBlanc opined, as Vieira chuckled.