Bets said: it's a reminder that this world and the dimension of time is not real and is being staged with props etc.
I agree Bets. time is an illusion that we gave ourselves because we were created with free will to explore and probe this world. while timelessness is on the other side of things.
my opinion.

even belief systems can be like props.
the way that Alan felt like a king is self empowerment. I agree on that too, and I don't see it in a negative sense because he's obviously tapping into his greater being and this causes the feelings being a co-creator with the universe, rather then all the doubts we can entertain about everything and anything here regarding growing into truth of our beings.
I've known the feeling of coming into some great truth, personal and universal at the same time and it's not self grandeur and it's not something one can brush off as an ego trip as Alan may have feared that we would not understand or misinterpret him.
I still have that little fear of being misinterpreted too Alan, but don't worry, just keep growing in patience and the pen will follow you.
An obe occurred for me when I was at a crossroads in life. late 60's. it seemed like then higher self was involved to let me know I could do what I had to do because I had the choice to do it, and I had felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.
I do tend to see the people I meet as real people out there, while sometimes I can determine if they are also props, there comes a stage of dream/and/or obe when these people become real characters and talk back in all sorts of surprising ways to show they are real.
It's up to Alan if he thinks his guy is real or not though. he alone can decide that, so sorry if I confuse you Alan. its really hard for people to believe that these other dimensions and planes are "places" peopled by life forms, but if you think about it we are all going to end up traveling through these planes at the final moments of transition, so it's all right to consider that they are indeed a "place." therefore real and we keep in touch with these dimensions while sleeping at night. the alternative is to be a complete atheist and therefore need retrieval from stuckness in a thought pattern/behavior by an act of PUL.
I struggled a great deal with the reality of dreamland and obe trips. when I finally gave up struggling with what was happening to me and just decided to develop the observer to watch for me, weigh and access the experiences, was when I knew for certain we on Earth are making up the whole show as we go along by free will.
On the other hand tuning into the higher self, that of us that remains connected to God shows me there is a plan, there is intentional journies, there is divine order, there is destination.
I would conjecture Alan was surfing a BST. belief system territory. thats where retrievals are said to be found. focus levels 23 through 26 I believe.
being outside the body gave me the freedom feeling that I could do a hard task set before me simply because it made me feel stronger, not stuck in a pattern of behavior. the universe turned magical at that moment and filled with beauty unknown., though at the time, there was a humbling element to the obe, like a child of the universe was walking all alone on sand, but protected and guided.
awesome journey. Alan's is awesome too! thanks Alan.