Prince William's reaction to Tom Cruise helping Kate Middleton revealed

Hannah Furnell, Chiara Fiorillo Thu, September 24, 2026 at 11:46 AM UTC

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Tom Cruise held Kate Middleton's hand in front of Prince William (Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images for Warner Bros.)

Prince William's response to Tom Cruise once again accompanying Kate Middleton along the red carpet at a recent film premiere has been revealed.

On Tuesday, September 22, the Prince and Princess of Wales, both 44, met up again with the 64-year-old Hollywood star at the royal gala screening of Digger at London's ODEON Luxe Leicester Square.

When they arrived, Cruise, who stars in the movie, greeted them enthusiastically, beaming broadly and applauding before offering William a strong handshake and kissing Kate on both cheeks. It comes as hundreds of people gathered to catch a glimpse of the royals at the event.

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Following the future King and Queen's introductions to director Alejandro González Iñárritu and the cast members, they made their way into the theater.

However, Cruise, displaying his new red hair, took Kate's hand to assist her down the stairs, repeating a gesture from the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022.

A body language expert has analyzed Prince William's reaction (Image: Getty Images)

Now, body language expert Judi James has disclosed William's response to another escort from Cruise.

James told The Mirror US, "William did appear to be star-struck by Cruise himself at previous film premieres, and he looks bashful but happy to see Kate being escorted by the movie icon here yet again."

Discussing William and Kate's warm greeting from Cruise on the red carpet, the body language expert said, "It's when they turn the corner to greet the stars of the film, though, that she gets her strongest and warmest signals of approval, from Tom Cruise.

"The way he uses a tie-sign with his hands and a tilt of the head to appear to show he is blown away by her appearance here and the relaxed kiss on the cheek that he gives her is only topped off by the way he gallantly holds his hand out to take hers as they walk down the steps."

The actor also helped Kate at the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022 (Image: Getty Images)

Video of the exchange between Cruise and the royal pair rapidly spread across social media, including in a Reddit thread, where some users questioned why William hadn't assisted his wife down the staircase.

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"William is not a gentleman," one commenter criticized. Another contended that it required "a special kind of skill to make Tom Cruise appear the better man," while a third remarked, "William is so bad that he makes Tom Cruise look like a Saint."

A fourth vented, "This is a whole-a-- theme. Imagine Tom Cruise being a better gentleman than the heir to the British throne."

A fifth wrote, "Tom at least recognizes the importance of appearances and looking chivalrous."

Another commenter claimed that William didn't even look at Kate as the actor guided her down the stairs. "I saw the video. Willy never even looks her way while Tom escorts her. There is another clip where she thinks it's hand holding time but he ghosts her and she looks p-----."

Additional critics have accused William of maintaining, outside this premiere, a pattern of walking in front of his wife during public events. Nevertheless, there's no evidence that Kate was dissatisfied with William or required assistance navigating the steps.

She also seemed at ease with Cruise's gesture. One observer pointed out that Kate is "a full-grown woman" who can navigate stairs independently, implying Cruise may have been acting "over the top" because he relished being photographed assisting a member of the royal family.

During the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022, Cruise extended his hand to Kate as she ascended a staircase while wearing a fitted black-and-white Roland Mouret gown.

Cruise took Kate's hand to help her down the stairs (Image: Chris Jackson, Getty Images for Warner Bros.)

While the action garnered praise for the actor initially, it also triggered discussion about whether such physical contact with a royal violated protocol.

At Tuesday's star-studded premiere, Kate looked stunning in a purple, floor-length Jenny Packham dress. She completed her ensemble with a pair of Princess Diana's pearl drop earrings, along with the late Queen Mother's amethyst sautoir necklace.

Cruise complimented William on his "great jacket," referencing the prince's black velvet jacket, according to the BBC.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”