John Barrowman thought he was too young to be awarded an MBE by Princess Anne.
The 47-year-old actor was given the honour by the royal at Buckingham Palace last week, but he joked when he first heard he had been recognised for his charity work in the UK he was surprised because he is not a 70 year old and doesn't use a zimmer frame.
He is quoted by Access Hollywood as saying: "It was kind of surreal.
"I do a lot of charity work in the UK for numerous charities and Princess Anne is the patron of a couple of them that I'm involved in, as is the queen, and I didn't even know I was going to be getting [it] - that's something you expect to get when you're like 70, right? And retired and walking with a zimmer frame."
The 'Arrow' star enjoyed a day out at the palace last Tuesday with his husband Scott Gill as well as his mother and father and he admitted the occasion was "overwhelming".
He added: "I was just overwhelmed. But yeah, it was great. My mom and dad, my husband Scott - I took all of them and we spent a morning and a mid-afternoon at the palace."
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