The Prince of Wales found himself in an unfamiliar role on Tuesday morning, stepping behind the counter at ActOne Cinema in Acton to serve popcorn and process tickets for bemused filmgoers.
Prince William, 44, spent roughly an hour at the community venue in Acton, West London, championing grassroots British cinema and engaging with emerging talent from the industry.
The heir to the throne described the aroma of freshly made popcorn as “very alluring” and “the most more-ish thing in the world,” though his enthusiasm did not extend to mastering the payment system.
As customers queued patiently, the prince conceded defeat. “Sorry, I’ve made this very slow,” he told them. “I apologise!”
His visit comes ahead of tonight’s expected reunion with Tom Cruise; the Prince and Princess of Wales are due to attend the world premiere of his new film Digger this evening.
Upon his arrival at the venue this afternoon, a reporter called out asking whether the prince had read his uncle Earl Spencer’s book.
William offered no response, though a bystander swiftly filled the silence by shouting: “We love you, William!”
The question reflected the controversy that has dominated headlines for much of the past week.
Earl Spencer’s memoir about William’s late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, has sparked a bitter public dispute with Buckingham Palace.
The Prince of Wales found himself in an unfamiliar role on Tuesday morning, stepping behind the counter at ActOne Cinema in Acton to serve popcorn and process tickets for bemused filmgoers
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PA
Among the most incendiary claims in the book is the allegation that the King remarked “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana’s death – a claim that led to a prompt and fiery denial from the Palace.
William, however, appeared determined to keep the focus firmly on the day’s engagement.
He and Catherine, who spent the weekend in Scotland, have been steely in their determination to maintain silence over the chaos surrounding the memoir.
Inside one of the cinema’s two intimate screening rooms, the prince joined a group of young filmmakers to learn about their career paths and view a trailer for October’s Ealing Film Festival.
Some of the aspiring directors had already had short films selected for the event.
William probed the impact of artificial intelligence on the sector, asking: “What’s your take on AI? Presumably it’s something that might affect you?”
The heir to the throne described the aroma of freshly made popcorn as ‘very alluring’ and ‘the most more-ish thing in the world,’ though his enthusiasm did not extend to mastering the payment system
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PA
As customers queued patiently, the prince conceded defeat: ‘Sorry, I’ve made this very slow,’ he told them. ‘I apologise!’
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PA
Hosts acknowledged the technology would place strain on the industry, to which the prince responded: “You’ve got to be optimistic, haven’t you?”
He also questioned whether streaming platforms truly offered the same prospects for emerging British talent as traditional cinema, observing that breaking in seemed to be a matter of filling “dead man’s shoes.”
“That’s when your belief in yourself is so important, that artistic vision,” William said. “Otherwise there must be so many headwinds… ‘keep going’ is really important.”
After the screenings discussion, William made his way to the small bar area where a group of women had gathered to purchase tickets for a showing of Super Nature.
Stepping behind the counter, he asked what he could get them, prompting one to exclaim: “Well, who knew this was going to happen?”
Cathy Johns, 71, requested popcorn and tickets for herself and friends. As they watched him scoop, the prince quipped: “I’ve seen it done a few times.”
The Prince of Wales also took a seat in the auditorium during his visit to ActOne Cinema this afternoon
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However, the till proved rather less cooperative: “It’s not my first till, but it is my first time on this system!” he admitted, before surrendering to the staff: “I’m going to let the professionals take over, I don’t want you to miss it.”
Jane Whitworth, who received the £3.60 bag, subsequently offered “the royal popcorn” to fellow patrons in the foyer.
Mrs Johns, whose popcorn was royally served, said she planned to keep her ticket as a memento.
“He did pretty well, he needed a bit of help from the regulars,” she remarked. “This cinema has transformed Acton.”
ActOne itself is marking its fifth anniversary, having been established in 2021 when more than a hundred volunteers converted a disused library into a two-screen cinema, café and community hub.
The venue continues to be operated by a volunteer board.