A Look Back At Kate Middleton And Billie Eilish's First Meeting
With the abundance of rules that the royals reportedly have to follow, you'd think that meeting one of them surely requires at least some form of customary behavior, such as bowing or curtsying. Well, at least that's what superstar Billie Eilish prepared for before meeting several senior members of the British royal family at the 2021 world premiere of "No Time to Die" in London. Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales (then the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), attended the event alongside King Charles III, who, at the time, was still known as the Prince of Wales.
Middleton absolutely stole the red carpet spotlight with her beaming gold gown, but that was far from the highlight of the evening for Eilish. The pop star appeared at the premiere as well, having recorded the movie's theme song, which was also called "No Time to Die." In an interview with Australia's Nova radio station, Eilish reflected on her anticipation ahead of meeting the royals: "I was ready to curtsy. I was ready to not shake a hand. I was ready to not ask questions and not speak unless I was spoken to." However, the encounter didn't go as she initially expected — especially with Middleton.
The singer shyly shook Middleton's hand
Despite her diligent efforts to adhere to the assumed etiquette surrounding meeting a senior member of the British royal family, Billie Eilish ended up not following any of it. During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," Eilish revealed that meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales was surprisingly relaxed — especially compared to how she believed it was going to be. "They were just so normal. They didn't make me feel like, 'Oh, I'm scared; I can't talk to them,'" she shared. Other than being very approachable, the "Bad Guy" hitmaker noted that Prince William and Kate Middleton were super supportive and curious about her James Bond experience.
"They were very friendly, funny, and sweet," Eilish confirmed. In photos capturing the moment she met Middleton, the pop star is seen smiling shyly while shaking hands with the princess. While royal expert Grant Harrold suggests waiting for the royal to initiate the handshake, as reported by Business Insider, The Firm's official website indicates that a customary handshake is acceptable, without specifying who should go first. Since there is no video footage of Eilish and Middleton's meeting, it remains unknown who went in for the shake. Notably, Eilish did appear to bow her head during the encounter slightly, indicating not all etiquette was out the window.
Eilish isn't the only touchy celebrity offender
Billie Eilish wasn't the only star who unintentionally broke the unspoken rules of behavior around Catherine, Princess of Wales. Tom Cruise also endured a perceived mishap at the London premiere of his hit 2022 movie, "Top Gun: Maverick." The actor was joined by Kate Middleton and Prince William at the bottom of the red carpet stairs, and as they were all getting ready to climb up, he charmingly offered a helping hand to the princess (via TikTok). While undoubtedly a gesture of respect and chivalry, Cruise's move left fans seriously divided on touching the royal, especially given Middleton's swift maneuver of placing her clutch between them, seemingly attempting to prevent any further contact with the actor.
Perhaps the worst touchy offender among them all was basketball player LeBron James, who brazenly put his hand around Middleton's shoulders in 2014. After attending an NBA match, the Prince and Princess of Wales mingled with celebrities and received personalized jerseys, per a report from the Daily Mail. Then, during a photo opportunity with James, the athlete embraced Middleton — a gesture that many royal watchers interpreted as a breach of protocol. While it's unlikely that either Cruise or James had any ill intentions, they might want to keep their hands to themselves next time they meet someone of royal stature like the Princess of Wales. Unless, of course, she goes in for the handshake first.