Langella attended Derby Day with his friends Paul and Bunny Mellon and, not knowing of the dress code beforehand, went in a green suit when every other man there was wearing a gray one. Langella met the Royal Family afterwards, none of whom remarked on his dress, until the Queen Mother stopped at him and said, "My word – where have you come from?" Langella told her about a film he was making in Paris, titled "La Maison Sous les Arbres." "That means 'The House Under the Trees," he added before realizing he'd just translated very easy French words for the Queen Mother, who without a doubt knew them. Langella says that with all appearance of sincerity, she replied, "Thank you for telling me."
