On 22 September 2026, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Royal Film Performance world premiere of Digger at ODEON Luxe in Leicester Square, London, in support of the Film and TV Charity. The Prince and Princess last attended the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick in 2022. They were reunited with their friend, Tom Cruise, who stars in the film.
The premiere was hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures and the Film and TV Charity, and was the 73rd Royal Film Performance delivered by the charity in its more than 100-year history. The event showcases a major film premiere and is attended by members of the British royal family. Proceeds from the event help the charity provide financial support to people working in the film, television and cinema industries.
For the occasion, the Princess of Wales wore a new purple floor-skimming dress by designer Jenny Packham. She accessorised with the Collingwood Pearl Earrings and Queen Mother's Amethyst Necklace, which was a wedding gift from Queen Alexandra in 1923 but was first publicly photographed almost 90 years later on Queen Camilla. Queen Camilla wore the necklace to the Skyfall premiere in 2012.
I normally love when Kate goes all in on red carpet occasions, but I am less convinced this time. The dress looks a bit strange around the shoulder area, there seems to be too much fabric? I love the backside and the decolletage though and the clutch and shoes. The jewels are nice, but would be better worn separately. So, overall not her best red carpet look, but in the end it is still glamorous and she looks great.
ReplyDeletePartly ageee with the earrings and too much fabric.
DeleteHowever, Penny Packham and Princes of Wales are a match made in heaven. Absolutely stunning.
This beautiful gown is similar to one she wore many years ago
https://www.instagram.com/p/DdmdVZjFGWm/
I like when she wears a historical jewelery,
Queen mother would be very proud.
I don't often like her Jenny Packham dresses so I always feel as if I'm in the minority. The color is great but the dress not so much. There are no pictures of the Queen Mother in this necklace. Don't believe it was a fave, but it's nice to see Kate wear real jewelry. I'm waiting for the state banquet and ready.
DeleteAgree with everything you said.
DeleteMore than a state banquet was I in need of a real glamorous red carpet event. And this event didn't disapoint. Catherine looked sensational: the dress, her hair, jewelry. And Tom Cruise the perfect gentleman. The photo of Catherine with this lovely floating dress being assisted by Tom is a real red carpet moment.
ReplyDeleteSomehow the dress is too 'big' for Kate. While it's ok, I think it would have looked better on a more voluptuous woman. She and the dress are not a match. - Ellie
ReplyDeleteAgree !!
Delete@Elle - I agree with you. This dress does somehow seem too “big” on her. I like the purple color, but the billowing sleeves and skirt are overwhelming her. An updo would have been nice to show the back of the dress better. It’s nice to see her wearing a substantial, historic necklace, although I don’t think the pearl earrings coordinate particularly well with it. Overall, I wanted to like this look, and there are some good elements of it, but it is not one of my favorites on her.
Delete-Royal Watcher
Agree the dress wore Catherine instead of she wearing the dress. Too much material around the upper body, sleeve area, appeared she was swathed in material that was light weight looking, but the color was too dark, even though it was a beautiful shade of purple.
DeleteI agree. It's a fabulous color for her, just too much fabric for her thin frame.
DeleteI have to agree with you @Ellie. Also the color seems too "much" for me. But I love her jewelry and her big smile.
Delete- Mirella
Could be the smallest size they have. The design is meant to have some volume to it.
DeleteOooh Mirella, I’m on the other side when it comes to the colour. I think it’s magically wonderful!
DeleteKate is ultra slim. Most of her clothes look too big for her. It's just the way it is. I think most of the designers don't make their clothes in her size unless they are bespoke.
DeleteShe wore something similar in light blue, do you remeber it?
ReplyDeleteYes thats right
Deletehttps://www.newmyroyals.com/2015/10/the-duchess-of-cambridge-attend-royal.html
The similarities can also be seen in a previous premiere she attended for *Spectre* in 2015. Both gowns were designed by Jenny Packham, which explains the resemblance in the fabric, draping, and overall design. Even the backs of both dresses feature a similar peek of skin, creating a strikingly familiar silhouette.
Missy
I do! But it fit much better and didn't hang on her like this dress does. I agree with most everyone, the dress does not suit her figure and it looks too big on her. Never thought I'd see Princess Kate in dress I didn't like but there is a first time for everything!
Deleteshe did, the blue one did not have a train and more fitting, both beautiful dresses.
DeleteThe dress is nice and it adds volume to the PoW thin body frame (in a good sense). But the accessories don't quite match the dress, imo, and they don't, actually, match each other (pearl earrings and dimond/amethyst necklace). I prefer the way Q. Camilla (then Duchess of Cornwall) wore it.
ReplyDeleteJ'aime beaucoup, les sourires, les attentions, la jolie robe de Catherine. Son collier rajoute une touche originale qui me plaît.
ReplyDelete@ Ellie
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I have to agree with you.
On a positive note Kate's hairstyle looks beautiful and I am
wondering if she has had a bit of a trim.
Cate.
Nice color but don't like the fit.
ReplyDeleteThe dress is okay. The color is good. I don't like the front of her hair but I'm not one that minds the curls. I don't like the necklace but I'm happy to see her wearing jewelry.
ReplyDeleteGlad I am not the only one who thinks the look is off. The dress has a potential but too much fabric is battling here - it has to be either volumnous train and skirt or the shoulders with the V-line on a more modest bottom part. The hair reminds me too much of war-time era hairstyles or... you name the period. The necklace is a stunning beauty but on top of all the hair, fabrics, floats etc. just adds to the mess. However, the overall impression is of grandeur and glamour so not exactly a miss - perhaps she tried too much and wanted to achieve the effect of the gold robe at the Bond premier, but this time missed by.. not little.
ReplyDeleteGlamour and elegance! Catherine looks like a fairytale-princess. Stunning!
ReplyDeleteI have a nagging feeling about this look of PoW.
ReplyDeleteThe dress and the color are gorgeous. The jewelry is also fantastic. And her hairstyle is perfect. And PoW looks very good. But as a whole, it just doesn't work – it's all too much. The jewelry is too much for the dress. Her hair is down and simply too elaborately styled for the dress and the jewelry. Every detail is a statement, but it doesn't work as a whole. And I don't know why, but the look makes PoW look older than she is.
I know this is nitpicking. PoW is a beautiful woman. But somehow, it all just doesn't come together.
Perhaps if I could have seen the dress up close I might have formed a different opinion, but I don't particularly like the dress, the dark color, or the long necklace. The dress seems loose and baggy on her.
ReplyDeleteWow, prinsesse.
ReplyDeleteI like her in the purple dress. I love Jenny Packham dresses. Princess Catherine looks so much more modern without the broad shoulder pads the Windsor ladies are usually wearing in their dresses. The necklace on the other hand although it is probably valuabe looks rather cheap. A pearl and/or diamond necklace to cover her decolleté would have looked so much better. Her hairstyle remembers me the hairstyle for women in the 40s-45s but less long. I do not like her make-up. On the last picture one can see she uses too much and too dark eye shadow.
ReplyDeletePer un evento serale ci vuole un trucco più scuro e il suo evidenzia le sfumature verdi degli occhi.
DeleteGorgeous in all points. Great gown, hair, and her poignant stance.
ReplyDeleteDress (a bit customised in this recent version) by Jenny Peckham. The Amethyst Sautoir (necklace) has a little history of being worn to another film premiere, Skyfall James Bond 007, in 2012 by the then Duchess of Cornwall (Camilla). Previously rarely, if ever, seen, the piece is said to have been a wedding gift of Dowager Queen Alexandra to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon on the occasion of her 1923 wedding to the then Duke of York. It rested in the vaults ever since, perhaps had been worn privately but not publicly to any knowledge. Only in 2012, it made its reappearance.
ReplyDeletethanks for the necklace history connection to Queen Alexandra and Queen mother.
DeleteAbsolutely stunning. I think the simple fix requires is a round neck on the dress. I think the designer has not chosen a good neckline for the the shaping of the bodice and sleeves with the deep V. I notice Tom Cruise walking not with Catherine - as surely any man would - but a step higher … do you think he’s that worried about his height? Catherine and William look marvellous and marvellous together. Thrilled to see her showing so much joy. Makes me smile too.
ReplyDelete@Anon 12:43 - I don’t know all the ins and outs of protocol for these kind of things, but my guess is Tom Cruise was walking a step behind Catherine out of deference to her title as The Princess of Wales. Camilla and Catherine often walk very slightly behind Charles and William, respectively, at public events, which I think is out of deference to the titles they hold. You can see that in some of these pictures - Catherine is slightly behind William. But it does also have the added benefit of making Tom Cruise appear taller :)
Delete-Royal Watcher
I agree, it’s the neckline that doesn’t work on the Princess. Apart from that, whhhoooo-hooo, just stunning
DeleteI agree with your comment about the neckline. Camilla wore the necklace in a wider way, which showed it off more. But apart from the neckline, the dress suits her very much. In my opninion, it definitely not drowns her.
DeleteThis is a JP gown from an older collection, maybe 10 or so years ago. It's a fairly simple design but also beautiful, and I think this rich purple colour looks sensational on Kate. The sleeves at the shoulder look bunched up because Kate has amended the style, and sealed the keyhole which originally extended from shoulder to about midarm. Her hair is covering the back but there is a deep V there as well. I think she looks lovely in it.
ReplyDelete- Anon 9:13
Ellie - that is what I thought. Beautiful Person- beautiful dress - beautiful necklace! But not the three together.
ReplyDeleteCatherine e William bellissimi sul red carpet.
ReplyDeleteAdoro lo smoking di velluto del principe e il colore dell'abito di Catherine, le maniche creano un bell'effetto sulle spalle. Unico appunto la scelta degli orecchini, al posto delle perle avrei indossato diamanti luminosi.
E Tom Cruise per la seconda volta ha l'onore di accompagnare la futura regina, un momento bellissimo degno della migliore regia.
The dress is gorgeous. The purple colour is beautiful and the elegant and feminine design looks marvelous on Kate. I especially love the voluminous sleeves and the slight train. It also looks magnificent in motion. I don't think the necklace although very pretty was the best choice because it hangs too low in the neckline. Perhaps a choker would have looked better IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI think the dress is gorgeous, it's flowy and the color is amazing. However, it is swallowing her. Perhaps, 3/4 sleeves would have looked better? And her hair in a chignon? The necklace is also pretty but as the previous comment states, it hangs too low so the result is not the best. And the earrings look totally out of place. She looks lovely, regardless.
ReplyDeleteNot a good dress for the occasion, too fru fru, it would be great for one of their fancy dinners.
ReplyDeleteOoh I love how she dresses for a Hollywood / premiere event. It’s wonderful I find. All the glamour!
DeleteBeautiful dress! Videos show Catherine carrying her purse in her left hand as she begins to descend the stairs. You would think that would be a clue to tom that she clearly did not need his help. If she ever did need help, she has a husband who is a gentleman and he would take care of that!
ReplyDeleteMR
Thats my favorite part Tom Cruise holding her hand down the stairs, very 'Hollywood glamor' like.
DeleteE invece il bello è proprio questo: William lascia la scena completamente a Catherine e al cavaliere Tom Cruise...ma solo per una serata così scintillante.
DeleteTrovo che il tutto sia splendido!
Yes, glad to see I am not the only one who found this inappropriate to say the least. I see nothing of this in being a "gentleman." He must think he is famous and special enough to touch a royal in this way. This scientologist is way too full of himself.
DeleteTom Cruise has been acting like this before. As if they are good friends.
DeleteThe color of the dress is very flattering. The style not as much. The plunging V neck does nothing for her athletic stature. She’d have been better styled with a corset type top. The midriff needed something, maybe a ribbon to hide the seam and to give her frame some shape.
ReplyDeleteThe necklace was the ‘wow’ moment! Breathtaking! But, then I felt it fell flat with the pearl earrings. I’d have liked an amethyst stoned drop earring, to marry the up the necklace.
I miss Catherine’s updo hairstyles. I think a red carpet event would have been an opportunity to style her hair in an updo.
I also find her make-up lacking. For such a high profile event I’d have hoped she’d have had a make up artist in to finesse the look.
I say this all the time. For me, Catherine lacks the attention to detail needed to execute a well put together look. She’s not a fashionista. Which is fine, not every royal lady is. Nor should they be if they choose not to be. We know Catherine is far more comfortable in her wellies than in a pair of Jimmy Choo’s!
Lowri.
My thoughts are similar in that the elements are okay but together, the look is off. I also think that a more modern hairstyle without all the curls, would have made the look glamorous.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely stunning!! Perfection!! Love everything!! Reading the comments here is like hearing a bunch of jealous mean girls criticizing a rival.
ReplyDeleteI’m surprised about the many negative comments, but I disagree with your statement that this is because of jealousy. It’s just a personal opinion. I really love this look. Stunning color, great volume and fabulous necklace.
DeleteMy guess is she wanted it so simple as possible and still a stunning evening gown. I think she succeeded!
ReplyDeleteLove the color of the gown but the shoulder area is a bit wonky. Catherine looks beautiful in this dress. Love her hair--a rather different style from her too. The other star of the show is the gorgeous amethyst necklace! What a fabulous piece of jewelry that is rather difficult to wear as it needs the perfect neckline. Apparently it can worn long as is seen here on Catherine or a shorter version that was worn previously by Queen Camilla. I am so glad to see Catherine playing around in the jewelry vault and am also glad to see her out and about in glamorous evening attire.
ReplyDeleteJanet
She looks every inch a queen.
ReplyDeleteStephanie
I love her festive appearances, I think without exception, and I love Jenny Packham gowns. But not this time, not this dress, and sure not for Catherine. Somehow she looks as if a curtain has fallen on her and it got quickly tied around her waist.
ReplyDeleteShe looked wonderful, her dress color and shape , the jewels, all really glamorous and elegant. They are all enjoying themselves and having a great day.
ReplyDeletePost a Comment