Prince William and Kate threw open the doors to their Kensington Palace home to welcome some very special guests over the weekend – Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. The royal couple had invited the Hollywood superstars to an afternoon tea, to discuss one of William's passions, the fight against the illegal wildlife trade.
This was the first time that the two couples had met, and according to sources, the group got on so well that the actor and actress stayed for longer than planned.
Brad and Angelina even brought a gift for newborn Princess Charlotte, who was welcomed into the royal family on Saturday 2 May.
Prince William and Kate were "so excited" to meet their Hollywood guests on Friday
"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie Pitt at Kensington Palace on Friday afternoon," a Kensington Palace spokesperson told HELLO! magazine. "They discussed their shared interest in combatting the illegal wildlife trade."
Another insider told Us Weekly that William and Kate were "really excited" about welcoming their guests, and even waited outside their palatial home, Apartment 1A, to greet the married actor and actress.
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie "got on splendidly" with the royal couple
"Brad and Angelina spent much longer with the Duke and Duchess than planned," the source said. "They ended up staying for almost a few hours."
The Hollywood couple had flown into London that morning ahead of Angelina's meeting on Monday, when she will have lunch at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and discuss the end to war zone sexual violence.
The star couple brought a gift for newborn Princess Charlotte
Last year Angelina was received by William's grandmother The Queen at Buckingham Palace, where she was made a Dame. The 40-year-old actress, who is a Special Envoy for the United Nations, was awarded the honour for her extensive service to UK foreign policy.