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It’s a Royal Purple Jenny Packham Gown for “Digger” World Premiere

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It’s a Royal Purple Jenny Packham Gown for “Digger” World Premiere

The Princess of Wales chose a chiffon gown by Jenny Packham for tonight’s Royal Film Performance world premiere of “Digger.”

The glittering event was at London’s ODEON Leicester Square theater. Below is a video of the couple arriving. 

More about the event via this Daily Mail story. 

The last Royal Film Performance was the premiere of Gladiator II in November 2024, which was attended by King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The King is patron of the Film and TV Charity, which benefits from royal premieres. 

Tonight’s event is the 73rd Royal Film Performance in the organisation’s 100-year history.

The charity provides support to those across the film, television and cinema industries, many working behind the scenes, with everything from mental and physical wellbeing to financial support. This includes a 24/7 helpline, free counselling and financial grants.

Digger’s big star is Tom Cruise, seen below arriving for tonight’s premiere.
The movie was filmed in the UK at Pinewood Studios. Warner Brothers describes the plot this way: “The most powerful man in the world embarks on a frantic mission to prove he is humanity’s savior before the disaster he’s unleashed destroys everything.”

Others walking the orange carpet tonight included Sophie Wilde. 
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Actress Sandra Hülle, who plays Tom Cruise’s sister in the film, Emma Rockwell.
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Actor Riz Ahmed (R) and his mother, Mumtaz Ahmed.
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Actress Emma D’Arcy. 
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Director Alejandro González Iñárritu.
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Jesse Plemons, who plays the United States Vice President in the movie. 
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And John Goodman, who plays the President. 
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Among the notable names attending, but not appearing in the film, actress Hannah Waddingham.
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Actress Jodie Turner-Smith.
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 Actress Salma Hayek.
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Another look at the Princess as the royals arrived. 

More about tonight’s events via this piece in The Telegraph.

Speaking about the Prince and Princess before their arrival, Cruise said: “I just love them. They are lovely people and I have great respect for them.”

He escorted the Princess up and down the stairs at the entrance of the Odeon Luxe, Leicester Square, first holding her arm and then her hand. It marks a reunion for the trio, who attended the Top Gun: Maverick premiere together in 2022.

The Royal Film Performance World premiere is in support of the Film and TV Charity.

The actor greeting the royals.

As The Daily Mail pointed out, “It was something of a reunion for the couple and Cruise, 64, who met at the UK premiere of his hit film Top Gun: Maverick in May 2022.” 

Here is a video shared by Rebecca English of The Daily Mail. In the video, the couple is escorted by Marcus Ryder, chief executive of the Film and TV Charity, and the organization’s chair, Claire Tavenier.

Another view of the Prince and Princess. 

Mr. Cruise leads the Princess into the theater.

This angle gives you a good look at the back of the gown.

The couple posed with the film’s director, Alejandro González Iñárritu, and Mr. Cruise.

The foursome looked like they enjoyed chatting.

The Princess smiles at her husband.

The Prince and Princess spoke with the film’s stars and producers.

The Princess with Mr. Cruise and Ms. Wilde.

A quick video of the Princess speaking with the cast and producers.

A wider shot gives you a better view of the group greeting the royals.

Once inside, the Princess was given lovely flowers. 

We learn more from this Daily Mirror article. 

The Princess was also presented with a posy and a programme by Evie Peters, seven, while four-year-old Sahrae-Lea Herbert, four, gave the Prince as programme. Both girls, who had been waiting excitedly for them, executed beautiful curtseys. The Princess of Wales said: “Thank you for my lovely flowers.”

The Daily Mail’s Rebecca English shared some darling videos of the girls waiting for the royals and practicing their curtsies. 

The royals posed for a photo with Sir David Beckham and two of his sons, Cruz, and Romeo. We learn more about the evening’s fundraising element from the Daily Mirror story. 

Inside the cinema, the Royals were introduced to a line-up of beneficiaries from the Film and Television Charity including Chloe Malone, 27, who only last year was sleeping rough and is still in temporary accommodation but is about to embark on a production course at the National Film and Television School thanks to the charity.

She praised it for “saving” her, and William for his work to eradicate homelessness.

Another look at the Princess. 

Now for our review covering what Kate wore for tonight’s premiere.

The dress appears to be a custom version of a design from the Jenny Packham A/W 2016 collection. The original design was crafted in grape silk chiffon, with a deep V-neck, cold-shoulder balloon sleeves, a cutout on the upper back, oodles of pleats, a concealed back zipper, and a full, flowing skirt with a short train. Among the changes to the Princess’s gowns: the sleeves appear essentially closed with a cape-effect shoulder, and the back cutout is not as deep as in the original gown.  

The style reminded several of us chatting online of the diaphanous blue design worn for the SPECTRE premiere in 2015. 

The Princess wore her hair partially pulled back. 

Making it easier to see the Collingwood diamond and pearl earrings that belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales, and her heirloom necklace.

The Court Jeweler calls it the Queen Mother’s Amethyst Sautoir Necklace. It was commissioned by Queen Alexandra and gifted to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923, according to the “History and Lives of the British Royals” Facebook page.  That page describes it as “three rows of petite pearls interspersed with large oval amethysts surrounded by brilliant-cut diamonds, terminating in a large heart-shaped amethyst and diamond pendant.”

Below, the necklace is shown in a 1923 display of wedding gifts for the Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in September 1923, later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother then gave the necklace to Princess Elizabeth, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The current Queen wore a shortened version of the necklace in 2012 for the premiere of Skyfall at Royal Albert Hall

The Princess accessorized with two pieces first noted in December 2018, when she paired them with a tweed Erdem dress. Both are by Jimmy Choo. The bag was a made-to-order design, and the heels were either the Bordeaux velvet Romy Pointy Toe Pumps or the Anouk Pointy Toe Pumps. We never decided exactly which pair it was, and tonight I made no progress on that quest because the gown covered the heels.

I will leave you with one more photo of the Princess from tonight’s premiere. 

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Ann

Tuesday 22nd of September 2026

Wow, what a gorgeous colour on Catherine. She should wear it more often. And a very flattering style. Is that the deepest V neckline we've yet seen her wear? Interesting that the necklace can be worn in different lengths, and yet the placement of the round amethysts appears to be the same both as worn by Catherine and worn seemingly much shorter by Camilla in 2012. The piece seems much longer in the photo of it as a wedding gift in 1923. I haven't been able to find a photo of the Queen Mother wearing it, but given she was a good 7" shorter than Catherine, it must have been quite a dramatic length on her. I'm surprised really that neither she nor the late Queen had it restyled to something more practical for their times, but I'm also glad its integrity was maintained.

Diane

Tuesday 22nd of September 2026

Love the dress and her hair. The necklace may be heirloom but I have an aversion to all heart-shaped jewelry, I find it childish. That said, from a distance where you can't tell it's a heart, it goes perfectly with the dress.

Gayle

Tuesday 22nd of September 2026

Catherine wears royal purple well! Her hair reminds of World War ll hairstyles, especially the "roll" on the sides- my Grandmother called them"Victory" rolls. Great to see Catherine wearing a very historic necklace. It looks like William's bow tie is purple also-well done.

ElizaMo

Tuesday 22nd of September 2026

@Gayle, The Victory rolls help give welcome shape and height to the updo. The intricate waves at the back seem to me to echo the detail of the fine gathering of chiffon.

ElizaMo

Tuesday 22nd of September 2026

It's my considered opinion that Catherine is in fact wearing just a necklace tonight and the glorious purple Packham dress is simply an accessory. It's hard to think of a better showcased heirloom jewel than this, the dress seems designed around it, and the gorgeous jewel has ample room to display its magnificence and detail.

The Packham styling includes the designer's standard features of flowing pleated chiffon, sheer, full sleeves, and full skirt with train, but is wholly elevated by the Queen Mother's Amethyst Sautoir necklace. Catherine understandably often shies away from deep necklines so it is a great treat to see this one run low enough to allow the necklace to lie naturally.

It's also fascinating to see the back view of the dress which continues with a low neckline, softened by the sheer sleeve fabric covering her shoulders. This most fantastic regal colour looks wonderful on the Princess, a symphony in purple.

It's wonderful to see Catherine feels comfortable with tying back her hair in a semi updo evening style, so that it is possible to freely admire the wonderful Collingwood pearl drop earrings. Jimmy Choo has come up with the goods as well, by providing the repeat coordinating Romy 100 Bugundy Velvet Pumps and possibly Bordeaux Velvet Clutch Bag. The Princess looks absolutely stunning here and has quite reassured me after the severe study in brown we saw in Scotland.

MuchLove

Tuesday 22nd of September 2026

I confess I like the sleeves better in the original design as I think enclosing the sleeves makes the top seem a bit heavy, despite them being sheer. In the original design, the open sleeves with the show of skin break up the lines of purple and make the top portion of the dress seem lighter. She looks fantastic anyway.

While this isn't my favorite necklace, Catherine shows it off beautifully, and it is always fun to see a historic necklace.

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