Prince William‘s return to his royal duties after taking some time off in the wake of Kate Middleton’s abdominal surgery got a major assist on Feb. 7. The Prince of Wales had his first fancy night out at London’s Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner — and he was joined by one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
Tom Cruise, who lives in London, just happened to be a guest at the event, which made for a very spectacular return to the public eye for William. The men were spotted engaging in friendly banter with the Prince of Wales towering over the much shorter actor. They seemed comfortable with each other even though all eyes were on the duo’s interactions together. The timing of Cruise’s appearance is curious because it comes on the heels of reports that he would “give his right arm to get an honorary knighthood,” per OK! magazine.
The 61-year-old actor has long been a supporter of the royal family, having attended the funeral of Princes Diana in 1997 and participated in the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. William and Kate were also together with Cruise at the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022. The Prince of Wales famously wore a pair of velvet shoes with fighter jets stitched into the fabric. It was the perfect opportunity for William to recall their moment. “I haven’t got my Top Gun slippers on tonight,” the royal family member joked with Cruise at Wednesday night’s event, per The Telegraph.
Prince William also called him out during his speech because… who wouldn’t?! “If you wouldn’t mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next Mission Impossible, it would be appreciated,” he jested. “We have all seen on our screens that – how can I put it – you seem to have a different take on ‘normal wear and tear’ to the rest of us. It’s not the kind that buffs out, that’s for sure.”
Cruise’s appearance at the charity event offered the Prince of Wales a safe buffer after all of the headlines about King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis and Kate’s recovery. Prince William was able to bounce jokes off of Cruise, and it made for a very buzz-worthy return to his royal engagements.
Before you go, click here to see the 100 best photos of the royal family from the past 20 years.
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