Skip to main contentSkip to footer
emma thompson damehood© Photo: Getty Images

Emma Thompson on why she wore trainers to meet Prince William at Buckingham Palace

Emma Thompson donned Stella Stan Smith trainers for the special occasion

Emmy Griffiths
TV & Film Editor
November 19, 2018
Share this:

Dame Emma Thompson has opened up about why she made the controversial decision to don a pair of trainers when accepting her damehood from Prince William in early November. The Oscar-winning actress wore a pair of Stella Stan Smith trainers during her visit to Buckingham Palace, and revealed that she didn't know why her fashion choice caused such a stir. Chatting on the popular podcast My Dad Wrote a Porno, after it was pointed out that there were plenty of opinions on her trainers, the actress said: "But they were posh trainers… Was there a lot of controversy? What you have to understand as well as never listening to any… podcast ever, apart from yours obviously, I don't do social media, I have no idea, so when these things happen, 'Oh my god, you caused a stir' I'm going, 'Why?'"

emma trainers© Photo: Getty Images

Emma wore trainers while accepting her damehood

One of the podcast's hosts, Alice Levine, joked: "Well let me tell you it was all the major outlets, and by that I mean Loose Women, and yeah they couldn't get enough!" Emma replied: "About whether it was appropriate? Oh that's so interesting… They were Vegan trainers. Stella McCartney, Stan Smith trainers."

READ: The internet reacts to Emma Thompson wearing trainers to meet royalty

She also revealed that this wasn't her first time that she made a controversial decision with her outfit choice, explaining: "I got into terrible trouble wearing jeans to Cannes once. I was very a very sparkly top and look, if you're wearing a sparkly top it doesn't matter what you're wearing underneath it, and their fashion police said, 'Oh my god! What is she doing? She is destroying the whole Cannes experience! Everyone is coming to see the beautiful Cannes actresses all dressed up looking gorgeous and look what she is doing, she's wrecking the whole thing!" Emma previously opened up about meeting Prince William to receive her damehood, telling reporters: "I love Prince William, I've known him since he was little, and we just sniggered at each other. I said, 'I can't kiss you, can I?' And he said, 'No don't!'"

MORE: A bit of all white! Geri Horner channels Victoria Beckham in this new outfit

Sign up to HELLO! Daily for all the latest and best royal coverage

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Royalty

See more