As Top Gun celebrates its 40th anniversary, the long-running friendship between Prince William and Tom Cruise continues to capture attention. What began as an unexpected connection between Hollywood and royalty has grown into a genuine bond built on shared interests, mutual admiration, and a love of flying.
Over the years, Prince William has made no secret of his admiration for Cruise’s work — especially Top Gun: Maverick. During the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards, the Prince of Wales admitted he might be “a little biased” when discussing his favorite movies, before praising the blockbuster sequel as one of the best films he had seen in years.
William expressed surprise that the hugely successful movie did not receive more awards recognition, applauding Cruise’s dedication to action filmmaking and the realism of the stunt sequences. He also revealed that his children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis — are big fans of the movie as well, especially the thrilling aerial scenes.
The royal family’s connection to the film deepened in 2022 when William and Catherine, Princess of Wales were invited to a private screening of Top Gun: Maverick before its official release. Cruise reportedly arranged the special viewing after learning that William, a trained RAF helicopter pilot, loved the original 1986 classic. The screening took place at an IMAX cinema in London’s Leicester Square and included several royal relatives and close friends.
Later that year, William and Catherine attended the London premiere of the film, where Cruise warmly greeted the couple on the red carpet. One memorable moment saw the actor helping Catherine up a staircase as she wore an elegant off-the-shoulder gown by Roland Mouret. Cruise later thanked the royals publicly for supporting the premiere and said it was a privilege to host them.
Since then, the friendship has continued to grow through shared charitable efforts and their common passion for aviation. Cruise supported the London’s Air Ambulance Charity, of which William is patron, by attending a fundraising gala in 2024. During his speech, William jokingly warned Cruise not to borrow the charity’s helicopters for future Mission: Impossible stunts, teasing the actor about his reputation for pushing aircraft to the limit on screen.
Cruise has also shown support for William’s environmental initiative, the The Earthshot Prize. During the 2025 ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, the actor made a surprise appearance via video message and referred to William as his “dear friend.”
Their shared love of flying appears to be one of the strongest links in their friendship. Cruise previously noted that he and William have “a lot in common,” explaining that both are passionate aviators who enjoy being in the air. Before becoming heir to the throne, William worked as an air ambulance pilot, while Cruise famously performs many of his own aerial stunts. Although the pair had not flown together as of 2022, Cruise hinted that it could eventually happen, saying that “pilots are pilots” and they all want to fly together.
Their connection may even trace back to William’s late mother, Princess Diana, who befriended Cruise in the early 1990s. Diana attended the London premiere of Far and Away alongside Cruise and his then-wife Nicole Kidman. She also reportedly brought young William and Prince Harry to the set of the first Mission: Impossible film, where they met Cruise in person — the beginning of a friendship that has lasted decades.
