will.i.am was saved from breaching royal protocol by using his phone during Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee Concert after Cheryl Cole ordered him to put the device away as they walked onstage.

The Black Eyed Peas star has caused controversy during his time in the U.K. for tweeting as he carried the Olympic flame and updating fans online during his stint as a judge on The Voice.

He almost blundered again on Monday night (04Jun12) by logging on to Twitter.com in front of the British monarch, but was saved from embarrassment by pop star Cole.

The close pals both performed on the bill at the star-studded event but the rapper couldn't wait to use his phone as they prepared to join the Queen onstage for Charles, Prince of Wales' closing speech.

Cole tells U.K. talk show host Graham Norton, "I actually had to warn him as we walked on to the stage. He had the phone at the ready. I'm not joking, I had to say to him, 'Put that phone away right now before I kill you.'"