Tom Cruise and Prince William at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala on February 7, 2024.Photo:DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
Prince WilliamremindedTom Cruiseof his fancy flying-themed footwear atLondon’s Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner.
Prince William motioned towards his feet and told the American actor, “I haven’t got myTop Gunslippers on tonight.”
Prince William completed his look with shiny black dress shoes for the charity gala, but he was referring to hisCrockett & Jonesblack velvet loafers embroidered with airplanes thatmade headlinesat theU.K. premiereofTop Gun: Maverickin May 2022, the last time he saw Cruise. Each slipper featured an F-18 Super Hornet in honor of the aircraft famously featured in theTop Gunfilms, but the detail was no surprise for royal watchers. Prince William previously served as a pilot with the Royal Air Force and as an air ambulance helicopter pilot, making his interest in the film — and the fun choice of footwear — a natural fit.
Tom Cruise and Prince William at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala on February 7, 2024.Daniel Leal - WPA Pool/Getty
Daniel Leal - WPA Pool/Getty
“Having theRoyal Warrantfor HRHPrince Charlesmeant that we were gratefully approached to produce the slippers for HRHPrince Williamon this occasion, proudly turning the slippers around in just 2 weeks, usually a 2-month process. One has little choice but to jump around for such a prestigious customer,” a spokesperson for Crockett & Jones said at the time.
“It gives us great pride to be associated with such a wonderful and historic family, and to have two members of the royal family wear our footwear, a just a few weeks before the Jubilee celebration [forQueen Elizabeth], is nothing short of incredible,” they added.
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Prince William’s shoes at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in London in May 2022.Dan Kitwood/Getty
Cruise hasmet members of the British royal familyon several occasions through the years, and attended the funeral of Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. He and Prince William most recently crossed paths atTop Gun: Maverickpremiere in London, where the actor chivalrously lentKate Middletona hand as she navigated stairs in a long Roland Mouret gown.
Prince William’s appearance at the London’s Air Ambulance Charity Gala Dinner came on thefirst dayhe returned to royal duty after Princess Kate hadabdominal surgeryon Jan. 16 and was discharged following a 13-day hospital stay on Jan. 29. Prince Williamcleared his calendarto support his wife and their three children,Prince George, 10,Princess Charlotte, 8, andPrince Louis, 5, during that time, and he expressed gratitude for the well-wishes sent to his family during his speech at the gala dinner on Wednesday.
One week after the palace announced that Princess Kate was home from the hospital, they revealed thatKing Charleswasdiagnosed with cancer. The news was publicized shortly after the King, 75, underwent a procedure totreat a benign enlarged prostateon Jan. 26. The update came one week after the Kingleft the London Clinic, the same hospital where Princess Kate was treated, following a three-day stay after his surgery. (The palace clarified that the monarch does not have prostate cancer.)
Prince William, Kate Middleton and Tom Cruise at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in London in May 2022.Dan Kitwood/POOL/AFP/Getty
Dan Kitwood/POOL/AFP/Getty
Prince Williamtook the stage at the charity galaon Wednesday to give a speech, where he thanked those who made the event possible.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days,” he continued. “It means a great deal to us all.”
Keeping the mood light, the Prince of Wales quipped, “It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather ‘medical’ focus. So I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all!”
Prince William delivers a speech at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala on February 7, 2024.DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
“Here in London, the current aircraft have served magnificently,” he said. “But our capital city needs a new fleet. And we are Up Against Time. The clue really is in the Appeal’s name. By September, we need the two new red birds — decked with the latest kit such as night vision — in our skies.”
Prince William then gave Cruise a special shoutout, referencing his skills in the skies in another film franchise.
“I should also take this opportunity to give a mention to my — our — fellow pilot, Tom Cruise,” the royal continued. “Tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight. And Tom, if you wouldn’t mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the nextMission Impossible, it would be appreciated. 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.”
Prince William speaks with paramedics at the London Air Ambulance Charity Gala on Feb. 7, 2024.DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty
The Prince of Wales’ first day back at work began with a morning of investitures at Windsor Castle, conducted on behalf of his father the King. While the duty was announced before Buckingham Palace shared the news about the King’s health, Prince William is expected to step out (likeQueen Camilla) and be the face of the monarchy.
“It is hard with Kate being ill as well, but he will step up,” a source close to the royal householdtells PEOPLEexclusively in this week’s issue.
source: people.com
