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'A secret friendship': Tom Cruise and Queen Elizabeth II 'really hit it off' when they had tea at Windsor

Queen Elizabeth II 'loved' meeting Tom Cruise for tea at Windsor over summer that he was subsequently invited for lunch, weeks before she died

BY RHEA TIWARI

PUBLISHED NOV 6, 2022

Queen Elizabeth invited Tom Cruise for tea a few weeks before she died (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures, Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)

CLEARWATER, FLORIDA: Tom Cruise has only good things to say of the former monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II, as did she of the actor. Turns out, the 'Top Gun' star "really hit it off" with the Queen when she invited him over for tea at Windsor Castle, merely weeks before her death on September 8.

Cruise was even permitted to land his helicopter on Her Majesty's lawn at the castle, as per an article by the Daily Mail. It was also revealed that the Queen had expressed her disappointment at not being able to meet the actor during a Platinum Jubilee event.

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Tom Cruise attends the Royal Film Performance and UK Premiere of — Tom Cruise had tea with the Queen when he was in UK for the premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick' (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

The outlet also reported that insiders from the palace said that the late Queen had "loved" seeing Cruise over the summer when he was invited over for tea. In fact, the actor was also invited back for lunch, but the engagement never materialized as the Queen died soon after. The duo were initially scheduled to meet in May during a four-day equestrian event called 'A Gallop Through History' on the Castle grounds. The event was star studded, with several celebrities in attendance. The London premiere of 'Top Gun: Maverick' was attended by William and Catherine, the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is accompanied by star actor Tom Cruise as she arrives for the — Catherine, Princess of Wales is accompanied by actor Tom Cruise as she arrives for the 'Top Gun: Maverick' Royal Film Performance (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Cruise, who had been shooting in the UK for the latest installment in the 'Mission Impossible' franchise, spoke highly of the Queen. "She's just a woman that I greatly admire. I think she is someone who has tremendous dignity and I admire her devotion. What she has accomplished has been historic," he said, adding, "I just remember always as a kid seeing photos of her."

An insider from the palace also revealed that Her Majesty had "let it be known she was really disappointed not to have met Tom at the pageant," a source told the outlet. As a result, the actor was later "invited to have a special tour of Windsor Castle with everything laid on for him." After the special tour of the castle grounds, "just the two of them had tea together."