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prince williams funky style change© Photo: Getty Images

Prince William's major style overhaul - see the funky footwear everyone missed

An amazing insight into Prince William's secret passion

Jayne Walsh
Lifestyle Content Writer
Updated: May 24, 2022
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Prince William's arrival at the charity premiere of Tom Cruise's new Top Gun: Maverick film in Leicester Square set thousands of fans abuzz thanks to his surprising choice of footwear.

READ: Prince William reveals George, Charlotte and Louis's reaction to their parents' glitzy Top Gun outing

Donning an elegant midnight blue McQueen jacket with black tuxedo trousers and matching bow tie, William stepped onto the red carpet with Duchess Kate who looked beautiful in a monochromatic Roland Mouret dress. But did you spot William's funky footwear? The Duke of Cambridge donned black velvet loafers by Crockett & Jones, boldly embroidered with airplanes.

WATCH: Prince William and Kate Middleton resemble movie stars as they greet crowds

Not just any airplanes, F18 aircrafts specifically, just like the ones from the original 1986 Top Gun film!

Prince William Crockett Jones embroidered loafers single© Photo: Getty Images

William's funky Crockett & Jones loafers

The funky white and blue motifs on William's otherwise conservative outfit prompted plenty of excited chatter, with William ultimately confiding how he felt finally seeing the long-awaited sequel to Top Gun. "This is very exciting," he told Alfie Everett-Fletcher, nine, whose father John Fletcher is managing director of Paramount UK.

Prince william meeting fellow top gun fans© Photo: Getty Images

Prince William greets a young aviation enthusiast

Prince William is a trained RAF helicopter pilot and speaking afterwards, Alfie said: "He (William) asked me what I liked about the last film and if I liked planes and jets and motorbikes. He said he was a big fan of the film and cars and stuff."

RELATED: Kate Middleton's subtle dress change no one spotted at premiere – did you?

prince william kate fans red carpet© Photo: Getty Images

Hundreds of fans clamoured to see the Duke and Duchess

Tom Cruise, who both stars in and produced the film, also enthused about the Duke of Cambridge's love of airplanes and warmly said it was something that they had in common. "We have a lot in common, we love England, the duke and I are both aviators. So we love flying."

DISCOVER: Why Tom Cruise is eager to take after Prince Philip

prince william tom cruise shared interests© Photo: Getty Images

Tom Cruise and Prince William bond over a love of flying

59-year-old Cruise and legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer introduced the royal couple to the film's stars, including Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Connelly and actor Jon Hamm, best known for the series Mad Men.

prince william kate top gun backdrop© Photo: Getty Images

William and Kate met the Top Gun stars on the impressive red carpet backdrop

Hundreds of eager fans waited for hours to watch the stars appear for the Royal Film Performance which took place in aid of The Film and TV Charity and against the backdrop of a real P51 fighter plane, like the one Cruise pilots in the film. What a night for Top Gun fans, royals included!

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