She has long been one of the most talked-about women in the world, but this week Princess Catherine is making headlines for two very different reasons — a tender backstage encounter that has only just come to light, and an upcoming Hollywood premiere that promises to be one of the most glamorous royal outings of the year.
Charlotte's Sweet Request Backstage at Mary Poppins
West End star Zizi Strallen has revealed a charming behind-the-scenes moment involving the Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte, dating back to a 2022 performance of Mary Poppins in which Strallen played the iconic title role. Speaking to HELLO! magazine ahead of a double show day at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre — where she is currently playing Glinda in Wicked — Strallen recalled the royals coming backstage after the show.
"Kate brought Prince George and Princess Charlotte to see Mary Poppins. They came backstage, and she said to me: 'Would it be OK for Charlotte to have a cuddle with Mary Poppins?' I was like: 'Yes!' She wanted to hug me, which was really cute."
Strallen — the niece of British entertainment legend Bonnie Langford and one of the famous Strallen sisters who are currently dominating London's West End — described the experience as a "surreal day." And surreal it truly was: the royal visit came in the afternoon, while that same evening, David and Victoria Beckham attended the show with their children Harper, Romeo and Cruz.
It wasn't the first time Strallen had crossed paths with the Princess of Wales. She also met Kate ahead of the Royal Variety Performance in 2019, an encounter that has since become something of family folklore — and a source of gentle ribbing from her three sisters, Scarlett, Summer and Saskia.
"My sisters take the mickey out of me for this, because there's a video of me meeting Kate at the Royal Variety Performance in 2019; I'm dressed as Mary Poppins, and as she walks away, I do the most awkward little-girl wave. I was bowled over by how tall, statuesque and stunning she was, and she and William were so normal."
A Hollywood Premiere With a Familiar Face
Fast-forward to the present, and the Princess of Wales is preparing for an altogether different kind of star-studded engagement. Prince William and Princess Catherine are set to attend the Royal Film Performance World Premiere of the Hollywood film Digger at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on Tuesday, 22nd September, in support of the Film and TV Charity.
The evening carries a notable Hollywood twist: the royal couple will meet the cast and creative team, including actor Tom Cruise and acclaimed filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The premiere is being hosted by Warner Bros. Pictures and the Film and TV Charity, and will mark the 73rd Royal Film Performance staged by the organisation in its more than 100-year history.
It will not be the first encounter between the Waleses and Cruise. The trio previously met at the UK premiere of Top Gun: Maverick, where Cruise reportedly arranged a private screening of the film for the Royal Family after learning of Prince William's passion for flying.
'William Just Purrs With Pride'
With all eyes once again firmly on the Princess, it is worth noting that those closest to the Royal Family seem entirely unbothered by the attention she commands. Former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond recently told The Mirror that far from any sense of rivalry, Prince William positively revels in his wife's star power.
"William and Catherine definitely have the wow factor that Diana had — and which spawned Di-mania," Bond observed. "People today are equally mesmerised by the new Princess of Wales, so tall, so elegant and so chatty, but William just seems to purr with pride that his wife is such a star."
Bond also noted that William "is also pretty dashing and gets his fair share of crowd worship" — but that his response to Catherine's popularity stands in stark contrast to the dynamic seen during previous royal marriages. For now, at least, the Waleses appear to be a team in the truest sense: and with a glittering premiere on the horizon, that double act shows absolutely no sign of slowing down.
