Dame Emma Thompson has had many memorable moments with the Prince of Wales over the years – from a hilarious video call to being invited to be a presenter at the first annual Earthshot Prize Awards. But one the star’s best anecdotes from a run-in with the Prince was revealed after she was awarded her Damehood at Buckingham Palace in 2018.
The two-time Oscar-winning actress revealed how she asked him for a kiss and even wrote him a “fan letter” after the ceremony. Speaking via a video link as she promoted the Disney movie Cruella, Ms Thompson joked about her unique request to Prince William as he handed over her award.
She explained: “Prince William was absolutely fantastic. I wrote him a fan letter afterwards. His face and body language, so kind and generous to every single person. I’ve known him since he was little really. I’ve always liked him.”
She continued: “I couldn’t believe how tall he’d got. I did say, ‘I suppose I better not kiss you’ and he said, ‘Probably better not.’
“I asked him about him and he said, ‘Will you please stop talking about me, it’s about you.’ What a nice man.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales also had a memorable interaction with the actress and her Cruella co-star Emma Stone a few years ago when they appeared together in a video call.
The group discussed plans to host NHS Charities Together and NHS staff at a unique drive-in cinema screening of the new film at the Palace of Holyroodhouse and joked about behind-the-scenes secrets.
Speaking to the couple ahead of the screening, Thompson said: “Wait till you see the clothes, it’s unbelievable.”
Then, gesturing to the Princess of Wales, the actress said “you’re going to want all of Emily’s [Emma Stone’s] clothes, they’re so amazing. Obviously you won’t be able to wear them in public but they’re so brilliant.”
The actress – who played the role of The Baroness – also had an excellent story to add to the mix about the time she didn’t want to wait in the traffic and decided to travel on the London Underground in her costume as the Baroness.
She revealed: “One day when we were shooting there was a demonstration on in London and our car couldn’t get to where we were shooting in Covent Garden so I said we’ve got to get out and we’ve got to go by Tube.
“I was in a wig and huge make-up, you’ll see my eyelashes, I look like a llama. And we got on the Tube to go to Covent Garden and I thought it’s going to be fine, it’s 9 o’clock Sunday morning, there won’t be anyone on the train. It was rammed, rammed and no-one took the slightest bit of notice, they all clearly thought I was a drag act on the way home!”