Prince William’s surprising shoe choice at Top Gun: Maverick premiere a sweet double tribute

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended the recent premiere in London and he opted for some rather meaningful loafers…

Prince William's surprising shoe choice at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere, seen her arriving there with the Duchess of Cambridge
(Image credit: Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Prince William’s surprising shoe choice at the Top Gun: Maverick premiere contained a sweet double tribute that eagle-eyed fans might’ve spotted. 


Having served in the RAF, flying enthusiast Prince William was likely delighted to attend the Top Gun: Maverick movie premiere in London on May 19th. Stepping out alongside the Duchess of Cambridge, the Queen’s grandchild opted for a sumptuous velvet jacket complete with matching tie and paired with smart black trousers. 

And whilst his look might not have attracted the level of attention we’ve frequently seen with Kate Middleton’s dresses, for eagle-eyed fans it’s clear that he is all about the attention-to-detail just like her. 

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend "Top Gun: Mavertick" Royal Film Performance

(Image credit: Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty)

Prince William wore black velvet slip-on loafer reportedly from Crockett & Jones and they were given an extra special touch with a design of two aeroplanes. Whilst not confirmed, it’s believed that the particular plane was an F-18. 

This could be seen as a very sweet nod to the Top Gun: Maverick film, whose main character is Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell - one of the Navy’s top aviators - and F-18 fighter jets are said to feature.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, shoe detail, attends "Top Gun: Mavertick" Royal Film Performance

(Image credit: Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage via Getty)

In light of this, Prince William’s surprising shoe choice makes a lot more sense and is a lovely tribute and indication of his admiration for the movie. Though it’s not the only tribute that could be spotted in the Duke’s jet-decorated loafers. Other members of the extended Royal Family have also flown planes and perhaps one of the most prominent of these was the late Prince Philip.

The Queen and Prince Philip were married for 73 years and in a post shared on social media following his sad passing in April 2021, the royals reflected on his passion for aviation.

“The Duke learned to fly with @RoyalAirForce at White Waltham and gained his RAF Wings in 1953, his helicopter wings with the Royal Navy in 1956, and his Private Pilots Licence in 1959,” they explained. “He gave up flying in 1997 after accumulating 5,986 hours as a pilot in 59 types of aircraft.”

Whilst it wasn’t revealed exactly what all of these 59 types were, it’s clear that Prince Philip has a real love for flying and for aircrafts of all descriptions. For his funeral service the Duke even chose to have his RAF Wings displayed at St George’s Chapel. 

Prince William’s surprising shoe choice could therefore be viewed not just as a tribute to the film and his own experience flying planes, albeit in the RAF and not the Royal Navy like Maverick, but to his late grandfather who was himself an experienced flyer. 

Emma Shacklock

Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. Her specialist areas include the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the next unmissable show to add to your to-watch list or delving into royal protocol, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!