The unexpected friendship between Prince William and Tom Cruise has quietly become one of the most intriguing crossovers between the palace and Hollywood.
A royal stamp
While attending the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, William was asked to name his favorite film.
He admitted he might be “a little biased” before praising Top Gun: Maverick as one of the most impressive films he has seen in years.
Back at Adelaide Cottage, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are reportedly obsessed with the high-speed aerial scenes.
William has admitted that family movie nights often lean towards daring stunts over art-house dramas, much to the delight of his children.
Private Screenings and red carpet moments
The bond between the royal aviator and Hollywood’s most fearless stuntman dates back to 2022, when William and Catherine were invited to a private IMAX screening ahead of the film’s debut at the Cannes Film Festival.
Cruise personally arranged the preview after discovering that William, a trained RAF helicopter pilot, was a long-time fan of the 1986 original.
Cameras caught them deep in conversation, and Cruise even gave a calm hand to the Princess of Wales on the stairs.
Cruise later publicly thanked the couple, calling it a privilege to host them in the UK.
At a fundraising gala in 2024, the future king jokingly warned his “co-pilot” not to borrow the charity’s helicopters for the next installment of Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoningand teases that Cruise’s idea of ”wear” might differ from everyone else’s.
Cruise has also lent star power to Williams’ environmental initiative, The Earthshot Prize, appearing via a surprise video message and referring to the prince as his “dear friend”.
The actor has said they “have a lot in common”, referring to their shared love of aviation and England.
