He’s known for playing Hollywood heroes, but tonight Tom Cruise was Kate Middleton’s knight in shining armour. 

The A-lister, 59, extended his hand to the Duchess of Cambridge, 40, as she navigated a set of stairs at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere in London‘s Leicester Square. 

Cruise was on hand to escort the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge down the red carpet and introduce them to his co-stars, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Miles Teller. 

When he reached a small set of stairs ahead of the couple, Cruise immediately turned and offered a hand to the Duchess, who was walking next to him. 

Kate, who looked stunning in a Roland Mouret column dress and black heels, reached out to take his hand for extra support.

The pair chatted happily as they made their way down the red carpet to meet the rest of the film’s cast.

The moment of chivalry was spotted by royal watchers, who praised ‘charming’ Cruise for helping Kate. 

One tweeted: ‘He is always a Gentleman and never forgets for a second how to behave in public.’

Another posted: ‘Mr #TomCruise the perfect gentleman. #PrinceWilliam the perfect date and #CatherineDuchessofCambridge the belle of the ball.’

A third added: ‘Tom Cruise being the perfect gentleman helping Kate with the stairs!!’

A fourth royal fan tweeted: ‘Tom Cruise turns ‘Prince Charming’ for the gorgeous Duchess of Cambridge!’

Elsewhere Kate and Cruise shared a joke in front of the cameras, prompting some to note he had won her over with his Hollywood ‘charm’. 

Cruise took part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in Windsor over the weekend, saying it was an ‘honour’ to be involved. 

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Tom Cruise and his co-stars Jennifer Connelly and Miles Teller as A-listers and British TV royalty descended on London’s Leicester Square for the glitzy gala screening. 

Kate, 40, looked radiant in an off-the-shoulder Roland Mouret column gown, £2,300 Alexander McQueen clutch and £10,500 Robinson Pelham diamond star earrings as she made her glamorous entrance on the red carpet.

Meanwhile Prince William, 39, demonstrated his sartorial flair in a midnight blue Alexander McQueen velvet dinner jacket, tuxedo trousers and velvet slippers embroidered with miniature fighter jets in a nod to the film.

Two children who spoke to William and Kate revealed the couple’s own brood, George, Charlotte and Louis, were gutted to miss the glitzy screening.

Alfie Everett-Fletcher, nine, who met William at the cinema, said: ‘He asked me what I liked about the last one, the things I like, if I like jets and planes and motorbikes.’

Alfie said William told him he is a ‘big fan’ of the film and ‘cars and stuff’.

His mother Elise Everett added: ‘He said they have had the theme tune for the film playing with their kids.’

Alfie also said William told him his own children were ‘jealous’ to miss the premiere.

Poppy Saunders, 11, said it was ‘really good’ to meet Kate and give her a bunch of flowers outside the auditorium, although she was ‘really nervous’.

She said: ‘I gave the flowers and shook hands and she said ‘hello Poppy’. She said a lot about how the kids love the film as well.’

Her mother Linsay Saunders added: ‘She said she liked sweet peas because there were sweet peas in the flowers.’

On the young royals, Ms Saunders said Kate told them ‘they wished they were here tonight’. She added: ‘And I said “well, it is a school night”.’

Cruise, who took part in the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations last weekend, introduced the royal couple to his co-stars Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm and Miles Teller.

Ahead of the premiere, Cruise, 59, said he and the Duke of Cambridge ‘have a lot in common’ as he spoke of his admiration for the royal. 

‘We have a lot in common. We both love England and we’re both aviators, we both love flying,’ he said. 

The actor also expressed his joy to be back on the red carpet, saying: ‘I love what I do, I’ve always enjoyed it and I’m enjoying it even more now. ‘Particularly after the last couple of years, just to have an event like this is extraordinary.’ 

Maverick, which has so far received rave reviews from critics, sees Hollywood star Cruise reprise the role of US naval aviator Pete Mitchell and is being released 36 years after the 1986 original. 

The Duchess of Cambridge opted for a figure-flattering black-and-white gown from the Roland Mouret archives for the occasion. 

She styled the sleek monochrome dress with a black clutch by go-to designer Alexander McQueen and a pair of classic point toe heels which could just be glimpsed under the hem of her gown. 

Kate finished the look with her breathtaking £10,500 Tsar Star Earrings by British jewellery designer Robinson Pelham.  

The royal mother-of-three wore her brunette locks in a sleek parting and opted for dramatic dark eye makeup and a slick of pink lipstick.