Mistaking her for a film technician, Prince Philip gave actress Cate Blanchett the shock of her life when the royalty asked her to fix his DVD.

The Oscar nominee said the Prince might have misunderstood her when she introduced herself as working "in the film industry" when she visited the Buckingham Palace recently.

"Maybe the Prince took me for a film technician," said Blanchett adding she had even told him she has twice played the Queen's ancestor Elizabeth I.

"The Prince began discussing his DVD player, which he said was broken. He said, 'There's a cord sticking out of the back. Might you tell me where it goes?'" a courtier said.