October 2, 2026 at 1:57pm EDT

Tom Cruise loves hanging out with the royal family, and he can count Kate Middleton as a friend in his London circle, but there are reported concerns about their growing closeness. And no, it’s not romantic.

Cruise is probably the most famous movie star around the globe — his work is beloved by fans, but his ties to the Church of Scientology make things rather complicated for the palace, according to Rob Shuter’s Naughty But Nice Substack.

“Nobody is worried Catherine is going to run off with Tom Cruise,” the royal insider told Shuter. “They’re worried about Scientology getting anywhere near the future king and queen. That is a completely different matter.”

Cruise hosted the Duke and Duchess of Wales at his September 22 premiere of Digger in London, and it’s quite apparent from video clips that the 64-year-old actor is charmed by Kate. The concern seems to stem from the fact that the Top Gun star is “close enough to have private conversations with Catherine and William.”

King Charles has endured numerous scandals since he took the throne, and the royal family has to be proactive about “protecting boundaries. As much as Kate and William enjoy Cruise’s friendship, the optics to outsiders are that the actor is “getting too close for comfort.”

Still, Cruise has been rather silent in public about his ties to the controversial church after his Katie Holmes couch-jumping years. His passion for Scientology backfired in that era when it often became the hot topic of his interviews.

“I think Tom Cruise learned his lesson with the discussion and uproar around Scientology that happened many years ago,” Evan Nierman, founder of Red Banyan crisis PR, told Us Weekly in 2025. “He’s been very effective at not shining a light on that and instead letting the power of his films and his stunt work speak for itself.”

Instead, he’s leaning into his popularity as an action star, and his charismatic moments wth the royal family on the red carpet.

“It was just so fun sitting there watching them watch it and for them to be part of it,” Cruise gushed to Extra. “I have so much respect for them, you know, they’re amazing people and how dedicated they are to their country and also… what they give to the world. They’re just beautiful people and fun, very funny.”

For now, Cruise remains close with the Waleses, but palace insiders are keeping an eye on their friendship.