Kate Hudson Has An Unexpected History With Prince William And Prince Harry
It seems that royalty and celebrity often go hand in hand. Princess Diana's famous friends were legendary and wide-ranging, encompassing Michael Jackson, John Travolta, Liza Minnelli, Gianni Versace, Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, and countless others. Plus, she had a close bond with Elton John, who specially adapted his song "Candle in the Wind" to perform at her Westminster Abbey tear-filled funeral in 1997, per The Mirror.
You only had to glance at Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex's wedding in 2018 to realize how many celebrities are close friends with the royal family. Among the A-list elite who watched Harry say "I do" to Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, were David and Victoria Beckham, Idris Elba, George and Amal Clooney, Serena Williams, and, of course, their good pal and collaborator Oprah Winfrey (via Forbes).
According to the Evening Standard, there were also plenty of esteemed guests perching in the pews when William, Prince of Wales, tied the knot with Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, in 2011. Among the many famous faces were the Aga Khan, Guy Ritchie, Joss Stone, Rowan Atkinson, and repeat royal wedding attendees, Elton John, and the Beckhams. Kate Hudson was one of the Hollywood heavyweights who wasn't on the list for any of the three big royal landmark events, which is surprising since Hudson has an unexpected history with Prince William and Prince Harry.
Kate Hudson's royal connection spans back decades
As the daughter of actor Goldie Hawn and singer Bill Hudson, and the stepdaughter of actor Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson is a bonafide member of Hollywood royalty. Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that she's had more than one brush with British royalty over the years — specifically with William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.
"Prince William and Prince Harry actually stayed at our house in Colorado when they were kids," the actor told Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show," via US Weekly. However, the royal siblings didn't stop at being houseguests — they also popped up in when they were on the prowl for some free wheels to borrow. "They were staying with their mom [Princess Diana] at the time ... and we get this phone call at the house," Kate explained. "And the phone rang. My dad [Kurt Russell] answers it, gets on the phone. Sure enough, I think it was Prince William calling my dad to ask if he could use the ATVs." Apparently, Russell was impressed with William's requesting skills. "Now that's a really well-raised boy," he told Kate.
When you consider the amount of money Princess Diana had ($25 million, per Celebrity Net Worth), you'd think she could've forked some of it over to rent ATVs for her sons. That said, according to The Express, it's William and Harry's father, King Charles III, who has the well-earned rep for being the royal family member who spends an astounding amount of money.
Kate Hudson could never keep up with Prince William
Kate Hudson has two boys and a girl, just like William, Prince of Wales. The actor welcomed son Ryder with her ex-husband Chris Robinson, son Bingham with her ex-fiancé Matt Bellamy, and daughter Rani with her current fiancé Danny Fujikawa, per People. However, it's unlikely that Hudson's kids will ever enjoy anywhere near the pampered privilege that Kate, Princess of Wales, and William's children take for granted (unless they begin crashing houses and borrowing vehicles for free, perhaps).
The future heir to the throne, Prince George, his sister, Princess Charlotte, and their little brother, Prince Louis, live a lavish lifestyle. The trio literally arrived in the lap of luxury. Hello! reports that 23 medical professionals were waiting for three months to welcome the royal cargo into the world via an entire wing of St. Mary's hospital. According to The Sun, the royal three also jet to exotic locales for vacays and birthday celebrations — like skiing in the French alps and relaxing on Mustique, the late Princess Margaret's favorite uber-exclusive Caribbean island of choice.
Prince George celebrated his sixth birthday there inside a private villa that cost over $30,000 a week. Hello! previously noted that Princess Charlotte received a $44,000 solid gold, ruby, sapphire, and diamond studded rattle for her first birthday. And TMZ reported that Diane von Furstenberg, the First Family of Gabon, and James Corden "spent some serious cash" on showering Prince Louis with christening gifts.