Kate Middleton Was "Caught Off Guard" When Asked This Question, Actor Says
Alexander Torres
Published Feb 22, 2026
The Royal Family is defined by five words: "Keep calm and carry on." They're known for maintaining their composure at all times and keeping their private lives expertly concealed. However, every once in a while, someone is able to crack that impenetrable shell. Recently, Academy Award-winning actor Rami Malek, star of the new James Bond movie, revealed that he caught the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, off guard with a very personal question. To see what Malek asked her and why she was so taken aback, read on.
Rami Malek caught Kate Middleton "off guard" with an intimate interaction.
During an Oct. 6 interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, while promoting the new James Bond movie, No Time to Die, Malek recalled meeting the duchess at the 2019 BAFTA Awards and he decided to get very candid. "I just looked at Princess Kate at one point, and I said, 'This must be exhausting,' and she said, 'Why?' And I said, 'You just had a baby, right?'" Malek said of the duchess, who gave birth to Prince Louis in 2018.
Kate recovered from the disarming question quickly. "She was taken aback, and she said, 'How are you doing?' And I said, 'How are you?' And in the most regal, elegant way, she gave me a look, but you can tell. Imagine dressed to the nines, having to talk to all these actors," said Malek. He pointed out that the royals are "so careful," but his interaction with the duchess was different. "It was so cool because I think I caught her off guard for a second and had that look of, in the most elegant, professional, royal way, 'Yes, it's a lot having a kid.'"
RELATED: The One Thing the Queen Didn't Like About Kate Early On, Says Insider.
Malek offered to babysit for the royals.
After the interaction, Malek said he offered to watch Kate and Prince William's children: eight-year-old Prince George, six-year-old Princess Charlotte, and three-year-old Prince Louis. "I said, 'You know if you ever need time off, I'm back-up for you,'" Malek recalled. "She's like, 'What do you mean?' I said, 'You guys go out, have a good time,'" referring to his offer to babysit. He said it was "the funniest thing."
RELATED: The One Thing William & Kate's Kids Never Do at School, Insiders Say.
Malek also saw Kate Middleton at the recent James Bond premiere.
Malek bumped into the royals, the Duchess of Cambridge included, once again at the Sept. 28 premiere of No Time to Die, in which he stars as the villainous Lyutsifer Safin. He said that he was gauging the royals' body language from afar as he sat behind them during the film to try to figure out what they thought. "Definitely not going to put words in their mouths, but yeah, they seemed pretty taken aback by the film," Malek told Kimmel.
He added that he tried to treat them like anyone else he encounters. "I'm sure a dose of normality is probably something that is quite refreshing to them," the actor said.
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At the James Bond premiere, Kate wore a dress that paid homage to Princess Diana.
At the No Time to Die premiere, Kate's gown was the talk of the event. The duchess continued her trend of paying homage to her husband's mother, the late Princess Diana, with her gold Jenny Packham gown with a trailing cape and cinched detail at the waist. The dress was similar to one Princess Diana wore to the 1985 premiere of another James Bond film, A View to Kill—a shimmering silver Bruce Oldfield gown with a similar waist and shoulder structure.
RELATED: A New Narrative About Harry & Meghan's Royal Exit Is Now Emerging, Insiders Say.
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