Kate Middleton arrived at the world premiere of Digger in London with Prince William, wearing a custom purple Jenny Packham gown and historic pieces from the royal jewellery collection.

The Princess of Wales attended the premiere at the ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on Tuesday, September 22, alongside William, Tom Cruise, David Beckham, Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons and Emma D’Arcy. The event was the 73rd Royal Film Performance, held to raise funds for The Film and TV Charity, which supports people working across the film and television industries.

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For the occasion, Kate chose a floor-length purple chiffon gown by Jenny Packham. The custom design had long sheer sleeves, a plunging neckline, a pleated bodice and a long train. The colour marked a more glamorous departure from some of her previous film-premiere looks, including the Roland Mouret gown she wore for Top Gun: Maverick in 2022 and the white Self-Portrait dress worn for the premiere of A Street Cat Named Bob in 2016.

British Vogue compared the look with the more elaborate gowns Kate has worn for the Royal Variety Performance, adding another reference point to her evening wear choices.

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The jewellery brought a significant piece of royal history to the red carpet.

Kate wore the Queen Mother’s Amethyst Sautoir Necklace, which was presented by Queen Alexandra to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, the year she married Prince Albert, Duke of York. The necklace consists of three strands of pearls and amethysts, with a large heart-shaped amethyst pendant surrounded by diamonds.

The necklace has previously appeared at another royal film premiere. Queen Camilla wore the piece with a purple gown for the London premiere of Skyfall in 2012. Kate’s appearance therefore marked the second time the necklace had been worn for a royal film premiere.

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She also wore Princess Diana’s Collingwood pearl-drop earrings. Kate wore her hair partly pulled back, leaving the earrings visible against the purple gown.

The evening also reunited Kate and William with Tom Cruise, whom they previously met at the London premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. Cruise greeted the couple on the red carpet, while William wore a double-breasted velvet tuxedo jacket that earned a compliment from the actor.

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Later, Cruise was seen holding Kate’s hand as he helped her down the stairs towards the screening.

Digger, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu, stars Cruise as an oil tycoon whose company causes an environmental catastrophe, leaving him to try to repair the damage. The cast also includes Riz Ahmed, Sandra Hüller, John Goodman, Jesse Plemons, Sophie Wilde, Michael Stuhlbarg and Emma D’Arcy.

With Kate’s purple Jenny Packham gown and two pieces of royal jewellery, the Princess of Wales brought a distinctly royal element to a premiere already packed with Hollywood and British stars.

Kate Middleton made a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Friday, returning to the cancer centre where she received treatment in 2024.

The Princess of Wales met patients, families and staff during the private engagement, hearing about their experiences and learning more about the hospital’s plans for a new Centre for Holistic Wellbeing and Recovery.

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The visit followed Kate’s National Three Peaks Challenge in June, when she climbed Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England and Snowdon in Wales within 24 hours. The challenge raised money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and was also intended to help her “explore life beyond diagnosis” following her own experience with cancer.

The funds raised through the challenge will support the development of the new specialist centre, which aims to expand holistic support for cancer patients alongside their clinical treatment. The project will also contribute to research into how complementary care can support patients during treatment and recovery.

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During Friday’s visit, Kate spoke with patients about their experiences of cancer. She met 74-year-old head and neck cancer patient Mike Collett, who is living with a brain tumour, and described him as an “inspiration” after they spoke about the support they had received from their children.

Kate has previously spoken about the importance of support beyond the medical treatment itself. During the visit, she praised the care she received at the Royal Marsden and described the hospital’s plans for expanding holistic care as “transformative”.

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Kate revealed in March 2024 that cancer had been discovered following planned abdominal surgery. She underwent a course of preventative chemotherapy and announced in January 2025 that she was in remission. The type of cancer was not disclosed publicly.

Her relationship with the Royal Marsden continued after her treatment. In 2025, Kate and Prince William became joint patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, giving them a formal role in supporting the organisation’s work.

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Kate also chose a familiar look for the engagement, wearing an emerald-green Suzannah London dress that she had previously worn. The outfit was accompanied by a pendant necklace, with royal fashion publications noting the significance of her repeat wardrobe choice.

The visit brought together two parts of Kate’s relationship with the Royal Marsden: her experience as a former patient and her current work supporting the hospital’s wider approach to cancer care. Her Three Peaks fundraising effort will now contribute to a project designed to give patients access to additional support during treatment, recovery and beyond.

Prince George has begun a new chapter in his education, arriving at Eton College on Tuesday, September 8, accompanied by his parents, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.

The 13-year-old, who is second in line to the British throne, was welcomed to the Berkshire school by head master Simon Henderson and Provost Sir Nicholas Coleridge. Henderson greeted George with a simple message: “Welcome, good luck, enjoy it.”

The arrival marked a significant moment for the young royal, who is beginning his secondary education at one of Britain’s most historic schools. George was dressed in Eton’s traditional smart attire, including a dark blazer, shirt, tie, chinos and brown suede shoes, as he walked with his parents through the school grounds.

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The family arrived from Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, their nearby home, making the journey to Eton a relatively short one. George’s younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, were not present for the occasion and are continuing their education at Lambrook School, where all three children previously studied together.

George’s move to Eton also continues a family tradition. His father attended the school from 1995, while his uncle, Prince Harry, was also educated there. William’s first day was notably more public, with his parents, then Prince Charles and Princess Diana, and Harry accompanying him for photographs as he signed in on September 6, 1995.

Eton’s connection with the royal family stretches beyond the Wales household. Founded by King Henry VI in 1440 and situated close to Windsor Castle, the school has educated numerous prominent figures, including 20 British prime ministers and actors such as Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston and Hugh Laurie. Writers George Orwell and Ian Fleming and adventurer Bear Grylls are also among its former pupils.

Prince George in uniform on his first day at Eton College
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George will attend the all-boys boarding school as a full-time boarder. The school is known for its distinctive traditions, including pupils wearing tailcoats on formal occasions and referring to teachers as “beaks”. Annual fees are reported at approximately £65,000, placing Eton among Britain’s most expensive independent schools.

His arrival also places him at the centre of a very different media landscape from the one his father experienced. Town & Country notes that George is the first future British monarch to begin secondary school in the smartphone and social-media era. Eton has strict photography rules and has introduced basic “brick” phones for pupils, reflecting the wider effort to limit digital distractions and protect students’ privacy.

The school choice had been the subject of considerable interest before George’s enrollment was confirmed. William and Kate were reportedly seen touring Eton with their eldest son in 2023, while other schools, including Marlborough College and Oundle School, had been linked to the family in reports. Eton was ultimately chosen, allowing George to remain close to the Wales family’s Windsor home.

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Kate also brought a familiar piece of her wardrobe to the occasion, wearing a bottle-green Emilia Wickstead midi dress she had previously worn in 2023. She paired it with chocolate-brown heels and a Laura Lombardi chain necklace, reinforcing the Princess of Wales’s well-established preference for reworking pieces from her existing wardrobe rather than treating every public appearance as a new look.

George’s first day at Eton falls on September 8, exactly four years after the death of his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and the accession of his grandfather, King Charles III. The date therefore carries a particular significance for a young royal whose future role will place him at the centre of the monarchy.

For now, however, George’s immediate milestone is much more personal: settling into a new school, meeting new classmates and beginning life at Eton. His arrival marks the end of his years at Lambrook and the beginning of an education shared, in a distinctly different generation, with both his father and uncle.