Tom Cruise has clung to enough aeroplanes to know a risk when he sees one, yet it was a flight of steps at the London premiere of Digger that got everyone talking. He offered Kate Middleton his hand as she came down them in a long gown, and the pair reportedly greeted each other with a kiss on each cheek.
So, did Tom Cruise break royal protocol? Probably not in any formal sense, although he may have skipped a little traditional etiquette. The evening was also the Royal Film Performance, a fundraiser for the Film and TV Charity, and it was not the first time he had helped the Princess of Wales along a red carpet, since Fox News reports he held Kate's hand several times at the 2022 Top Gun: Maverick premiere.
Can You Touch a Member of the Royal Family?
Cruise extended his hand first, and Kate shifted her clutch to her other hand before taking it. Cameras later caught him leaning in to greet her with a kiss on each cheek.
Traditional etiquette is that guests wait for the royal to make the first move. That is a custom, not a rule. The Royal Family's own website says there are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting a member of the family, although it lists a bow, curtsy or handshake as the customary forms. It does not specifically cover helping someone down the stairs, so it cannot settle this case.
When the question came up in 2022, Yahoo News UK quoted an expert who said a steadying hand on steps was fine, but a spontaneous hug was not.
Why Did Tom Cruise Hold Kate's Hand?
Think about the practicalities. Catherine, Princess of Wales, was wearing a floor-length purple Jenny Packham gown with a train, and steps in a long dress are awkward for anyone.
Reports state that another guest had accidentally trodden on the train earlier in the evening, throwing her briefly off balance. That may help explain why Cruise reached out, although there is nothing to show it was on his mind.
The stricter argument is less about the help itself and more about a guest taking the lead without waiting for the royal to do so.
How Did Prince William React?
By most accounts, William was relaxed. He was walking on Kate's other side, smiling, and, according to body language watchers, he stepped back slightly to let Cruise lead the greeting and reportedly laughed at one point. That does not close the etiquette question, but no one has reported a rebuke or any awkwardness.
Clips online mostly cast Cruise as a gentleman, with some joking that Kate now has her own stunt coordinator. The actor may have stepped outside traditional etiquette, but no official finding says he broke a mandatory rule. For now, the Tom Cruise royal protocol row looks more like a helpful hand on a tricky staircase than a scandal.
Audiences can make up their own minds about the star's latest role when Digger reaches UK cinemas on 2 October, although Warner Bros says its international rollout begins on 30 September.
