#TBT to Kate Winslet’s rise to fame: It was pre-Titanic when the Oscar-winning actress—now an ambassador for The King’s Foundation—unexpectedly met then-Prince Charles at a royal premiere for the 1996 film Sense and Sensibility. But her encounter with the current king almost turned into a terribly awkward fashion faux pas.
The 6 Words Racing Through Kate Winslet’s Mind During Awkward First Encounter with King Charles
Hint: It was a fashion emergency
Published Dec 3, 2025
•4:10pm
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During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Winslet revealed her sartorial emergency and the six words racing through her head at the time: “The first time I met him, he had come to support the royal premiere of Sense and Sensibility when I was only 20. And I sort of hadn’t realized that we were really going to meet him,” she shared. “So I forgot about the fact that I really was wearing kind of a transparent lace outfit. And thank god, I’d worn a coat because as he’s making his way toward me, I’m like, ‘Nipples! Nipples! Nipples, oh my god.’” (Fast forward to the 6:45-minute mark to watch the hilarious clip.)
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Luckily, another attendee saved her just in time. “Someone just went, ‘Coat!’ and I went, ‘Your Majesty!’ basically covering myself in a cape.” (During the interview, Winslet gestures to indicate the lucky timing of her curtsy with how quickly she threw the coat on.)
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Now, Winslet’s royal encounters are a bit more professional: In the chat with Jimmy Kimmel, she also reveals how thrilled she is to now be a partner with His Majesty via The King’s Foundation and in his efforts to help shine a spotlight on smaller charities carrying out crafts that feel outdated: “He’s really an extraordinary person, he’s very kind and extremely empathetic and very generous,” she says.
Still, the memory of their first meeting? Priceless.
