Tom Cruise's Relationship To Kate Middleton Explained

While the coronation of King Charles III wasn't rife with celebrities, a few notable stars did make an appearance. Some of them left many viewers perplexed about how they secured a spot on the guest list — one of them being Tom Cruise. Cruise's attendance at the May 7 coronation concert celebration for "pre-recorded sketches and segments revealing little-known facts about the king," according to the BBC, wasn't his first interaction with the British royals, however.

The "Top Gun" star actually has a storied past with the royal family, though it seems many Americans have forgotten about it. Cruise, a self-confessed lover of England, has interacted with many members of the royal family throughout the years. He even had quite a friendly relationship with Queen Elizabeth II, who had big plans for him before her death. Despite this, Cruise's relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales garners the most media attention. Here's the backstory on how Tom Cruise became part of the coronation lineup after making headlines with the princess.

Tom Cruise's connection with the royals began when he had a somewhat chance encounter with the late Princess Diana. In the early 1990s, the first "Mission: Impossible" was filmed in the U.K., and Princess Di took her two young sons to the set. Allegedly, while the boys were impressed, Princess Diana told her chef, Darren McGrady, not long after the meeting, "That's another one off the list Darren. He's too short!" (via Express). Nevertheless, the pair would meet again on the red carpet at Cruise's "Far And Away" movie premiere, which he attended with his then-wife Nicole Kidman. Sadly, five years later, Cruise was also present at Princess Diana's funeral.

Princess Diana certainly isn't the only royal lady in his life. Cruise has made public his admiration for the late queen, Elizabeth II, attending her Platinum Jubilee in 2022 and sharing tea with her not long before her death. And, of course, the actor is a known friend of Princess Kate Middleton, securing his infiltration into the ranks of friends of the British royal family with The Sun even reporting that Cruise, Kate, and Prince William can be considered "close." 

In July 2021, Princess Kate and her husband, Prince William, attended the 2020 Euro football match played by Italy and England. Cruise was also a spectator at the match and was photographed kindly letting the royal couple exit their seats before he made his way to the aisle. Almost one year later, Cruise made contact with Kate and William once more.  

In 2022, Tom Cruise invited Prince William and Princess Kate to a charity screening of his latest movie, "Top Gun: Maverick." The pair had previously viewed the film when the actor hosted a private screening for the couple on one of the biggest screens in the U.K., an IMAX near London's Leicester Square. He didn't cozy up with them in the theater, but graciously greeted his guests before leaving them to enjoy the film.

Soon after, Cruise and the couple would meet up again at the "Top Gun: Maverick" premiere. Prince William and Kate Middleton had many swooning at the event, including the man with the starring role. The May 2022 event generated a lot of talk on social media when Cruise courteously lent his hand to Princess Kate as she was attending the stairs. While it may have been chivalrous, it caused many Americans and Brits alike to cringe, as getting handsy with the royal family can always be a thorny issue. One viewer event pointed out, "Her face is mortified" (via Twitter). Furthermore, sharp-eyed royal watchers quickly pointed out that Kate hurriedly switched her handbag to the hand Cruise had been grasping arguing she may have been trying to ensure the situation wouldn't happen again. 

But all seemed smoothed over when Cruise and Kate met again at the 2022 Wimbledon tennis tournament where they were seated just a few rows apart. Reportedly, the Prince and Princess have since made Tom's Cruise's exclusive Christmas gift list, an honor that is bestowed on invitees for life (via Yahoo!). So, it doesn't sound like Cruise and the royals will be going their separate ways anytime soon.