In a recent television appearance, acclaimed actress Kate Winslet shared two humorous anecdotes from her encounters with the British monarchy, spanning nearly three decades.
The first story harks back to 1996, at the royal premiere of Sense and Sensibility. A then 20-year-old Winslet, attending one of her first major film debuts, was dressed in a black lace ensemble. She recounted the moment she realized the then-Prince of Wales was approaching her on the red carpet.
“I had completely forgotten I was wearing a rather transparent outfit,” Winslet explained with a laugh. “All I could think was, ‘Oh my goodness!’ Thankfully, a quick-thinking companion urgently whispered ‘Coat!’ which I promptly clutched around myself just in time to offer a composed, ‘Your Majesty.'”
The actress’s second tale fast-forwarded to this past summer, at the King’s Foundation Awards ceremony. There, she and fellow Oscar-winner Meryl Streep found themselves in a last-minute quandary regarding royal etiquette.
As they walked to be presented, Streep turned to Winslet to ask if a curtsy was required. “I said, ‘Absolutely, we have to curtsy,'” Winslet recalled. This sparked a flurry of whispered uncertainty between the two screen legends about the proper form—whether it should be a deep bow or a more subtle gesture.
“We had a minor panic. We didn’t know the protocol,” Winslet admitted. Characteristically, she took the lead. “I usually volunteer to go first. Leadership is important, and someone has to get it wrong—it’s often me, and I don’t mind taking the hit.”
The stories paint a charmingly relatable picture of two global stars navigating the formalities of royal engagements, from averted wardrobe crises to on-the-spot debates about tradition.
