The Prince and Princess of Wales at the Tom Cruise premiere
Photo: The Royal Household
Prince William and Princess Catherine attended the world premiere of «Digger» in London on Tuesday evening, the 73rd Royal Film Performance. The Princess wore an amethyst necklace given as a wedding present in 1923 that had been out of public view for almost ninety years.
Prince William and Princess Catherine attended the world premiere of the film «Digger» at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square in London on Tuesday evening. The premiere was staged as a Royal Film Performance in aid of the Film and TV Charity.
The Prince and Princess of Wales arrive at the world premiere in Leicester Square. Photo: The Royal Household
It was the first time in four years that the couple had attended a film premiere together. The last was the premiere of «Top Gun: Maverick» in 2022.
The couple were received on the red carpet outside the cinema. Photo: The Royal Household
• The 73rd Royal Film Performance
The Royal Film Performance is the principal fundraiser for the Film and TV Charity, and this was the 73rd in the series across the organisation's more than one hundred year history. The premiere was hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures together with the charity.
The proceeds go towards financial support for people working in the film, television and cinema industries, including those behind the camera.
• Reunited with Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise plays the title role in «Digger», so the evening brought a reunion between him and the Prince and Princess four years after the «Top Gun» premiere.
The Prince and Princess with Tom Cruise, who plays the title role. Photo: The Royal Household
The film is directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and the cast also includes Riz Ahmed, John Goodman, Sandra Hüller, Michael Stuhlbarg and Jesse Plemons. «Digger» opens in British cinemas on 2 October.
The couple greeted cast members and other guests before the screening. Photo: The Royal Household
• Beckham and his sons attended
Among the guests was David Beckham, who came with his sons Cruz and Romeo.
David Beckham with his sons Cruz and Romeo alongside the Prince and Princess. Photo: The Royal Household
• A jewel that vanished for almost a century
The Princess wore an amethyst necklace with a long history. The piece, set with pearls, diamonds and a large heart-shaped amethyst, was a wedding present from Queen Alexandra to Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, when she married the Duke of York, later King George VI.
The amethyst necklace was a wedding present from Queen Alexandra in 1923. Photo: The Royal Household
No photographs are known of the Queen Mother wearing it, but written records say she wore it during the court mourning after Queen Alexandra's death in 1925. After that it disappeared from public view for almost ninety years.
It reappeared only in 2012, when Queen Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, wore it to the London premiere of the James Bond film «Skyfall».