Tom Hanks thrilled to see Queen Elizabeth II drink martini at royal dinner

Tom Hanks has revealed Queen Elizabeth II's drink of choice is a martini.

During an appearance on BBC's The One Show alongside Austin Butler to promote their new movie Elvis on Monday, the Hollywood icon recalled the time he attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in London to mark a visit from former U.S. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama back in 2011.

Hanks revealed that he was sat next to The Queen during the meal, and had prepared some "chit chat" in advance.

"I knew I was going to be sat next to her and so I wanted to be able to talk about things that were of import but not presumptuous," he remembered, before going on to describe how the monarch was soon presented with what he thought was a glass of water.

"Then out of the corner of my eye, I just saw this white-gloved hand put between me and Her Majesty this glass of water. But it wasn't in a water glass," he recalled. "It was a clear liquid and so I dared to ask The Queen, 'And what is Your Majesty's cocktail of choice?' and she said, 'Ooh, martini!'"

Hanks went on to note that The Queen only had one martini that evening.

"She had the one, that's what she nursed throughout the course of the night, and I think, well, she's had a wonderful reign so maybe if I were to polish up my game a bit I'll start to drink martinis," the star smiled.