Prince William Faces 'Not a Gentleman' Jabs Over Tom Cruise Helping Kate, but Clip Reveals More

A brief moment on the steps at the Digger premiere has put Prince William under scrutiny after Tom Cruise was seen offering Kate Middleton his hand, prompting some social media users to question why the Prince of Wales did not make the gesture himself.

William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, attended the world premiere of Cruise's new film at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London on Tuesday, 22 September.

As they made their way towards the screening, Cruise extended his hand to Kate as she descended the steps, with the Princess of Wales accepting the assistance.

Tom Cruise Helps Kate Middleton Down the Steps

A video shared on X (formerly Twitter) showed William and Kate walking alongside Cruise during the premiere. William appeared to be speaking to someone nearby while Kate was engaged in conversation with Cruise before the actor offered his hand as they approached the steps.

The footage was shared by an account with the caption, 'I almost feel sorry for Kate being dissed by her own husband in front of the world like this.' The post went on to contrast William continuing down the steps with Cruise stepping in to assist Kate, describing the moment as 'Super cringe!😬'.

The gesture quickly became a talking point online, with some users saying William appeared to have missed an opportunity to help his wife. One commenter described Cruise as displaying 'pure gentlemanly instinct', while others argued that the actor appeared more attentive to Kate than William.

Social Media Users Question William's Gesture

Some social media users were particularly critical of William, with some interpreting the incident as part of what they described as a wider pattern. One post said someone was 'always stepping in to help Kate' and argued that William did not appear to show the same attentiveness towards his wife.

Others claimed Cruise had shown 'more manners than 20 Williams', while another user suggested it was not the first time the actor had appeared more attentive to Kate.

In 2022, the Prince and Princess of Wales were also photographed with Cruise ahead of the screening of Top Gun: Maverick, when the trio reached a small set of stairs and Cruise turned and offered Kate his hand as they descended.

There was also a lighter stream of commentary, with one user joking that William knew Cruise was excited to see Kate and would make sure she was 'safe with him'. Another suggested William was simply giving Cruise space because he knew how pleased Kate was to meet the Hollywood star.

William also had defenders. Others noted that William appeared to be speaking to people on the other side of the group rather than deliberately ignoring Kate.

Why Prince William and Kate Middleton Keep PDA Private

The criticism also raises a broader question about why William and Kate are not routinely demonstrative in public. Their approach to public displays of affection has long attracted attention, but a lack of overt PDA does not establish that a royal marriage is troubled.

Some have attributed the couple's reserved public manner to royal protocol, but there is no official rule banning royals from holding hands or showing affection.

In 2023, royal journalist Omid Scobie described William and Kate's marriage as 'solid' in his book, Endgame, and said the heir and future queen have continued to 'work as a team'.

Royal biographer Christopher Andersen described the couple as 'more in love than ever', while author Caroline Hallemann characterised them as 'a love match'. Hallemann also said the pair represented 'a true equal partnership'.

'The marriage is clearly stronger and more resilient than ever,' Andersen said. 'William and Kate are partners in every sense of the word—and in ways that are totally alien to the rest of the royal family.'

Hallemann similarly described the couple's marriage as a 'true equal partnership'.