Kate Winslet recently shared a humorous and slightly embarrassing anecdote involving King Charles III, dating back to three decades ago at the premiere of “Sense and Sensibility.”

The acclaimed British actress, now 50, recalled how, at just 20 years old, she faced a moment of panic during the royal premiere of the 1995 romantic drama. It was there she encountered Prince Charles, who is now King Charles III.

Winslet vividly described her excitement at the prospect of meeting the royal, only to suddenly realize her outfit—a sheer black lace dress—was quite revealing, leaving her concerned that her “nipples were out.”

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s talk show, Winslet recounted, “The first time I met the King, oh my goodness, he attended the royal premiere of ‘Sense and Sensibility’ to show his support, and I was just 20 years old.”

She continued, “I hadn’t realized we were actually going to meet him.”

‘So I forgot I was wearing a transparent lace outfit and thank god I was wearing a coat as he was walking towards me I was like, nipples, nipples, nipples, omg! 

Kate Winslet has revealed that she nearly flashed King Charles III when they first met 30 years ago at the Sense and Sensibility premiere

The British actress, 50, was just 20-years-old in the 1995 romantic comedy and admitted she completely panicked at the royal premiere as she met Prince Charles (now King Charles III); pictured at the premiere in 1995

‘Someone quickly went, “coat” and I just went [wraps her coat around herself] and went, “Your Majesty”.

‘I was basically covering myself in a cape and trying to hide my nipples.’

Kate also revealed how she and Meryl Streep, 76, panicked when meeting the King earlier this year alongside David Beckham. 

The Titanic actress was invited with Mamma Mia legend Meryl to St James’s Palace after being made an ambassador for The King’s Foundation.

She said: ‘There was a conversation about this, Meryl and I as we were walking to meet the King and she said, “Do you think we have to curtsy” and I was like, “Obviously we have to curtsy”.

‘She was like, “Is it a big curtsy, a small one” and I was like, “I don’t know”, and we didn’t know what the form was but obviously we had to curtsy.

‘Did I go first, I think I did. I volunteered to go first, leadership is important and I went first and I don’t mind getting it wrong, someone has to and I don’t mind taking the hit.

‘Meryl was nervous, he is a very gentle, personable individual though and he is the King’. 

Kate explained how she was so excited to meet His Majesty before realising she was wearing a see-through lace outfit and her ‘nipples were out’

Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel on his talk show, she said: ‘The first time I met the King, oh my goodness, I didn’t realise that we were actually really going to meet him’

She explained: ‘So I forgot I was wearing a transparent lace outfit and thank god I was wearing a coat as he was walking towards me I was like, nipples, nipples, nipples, omg!’

The appearance comes after it was revealed Kate was taking the lead behind the camera for the first time for Goodbye June.

The actress was seen filming her directorial debut on the streets of London alongside an all-star cast including Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette and Timothy Spall.

The Netflix project is described as a contemporary family drama about ‘fractured siblings who must come together under sudden and trying circumstances’.

And it is certainly a family affair for the actress as her 21-year-old son, Joe Anders, whose father is Bond director Sam Mendes, wrote the screenplay.

But Kate – who won plaudits for her role as Lee Miller, the model who became a Second World War photographer, in the 2023 biopic Lee – showed she is not ready to turn her back on acting any time soon, also starring in the production.

Speaking of taking on the director role, Kate told Jimmy: ‘I was going to produce it and play the character Julia and we were ready to find a director and I suddenly couldn’t let it go, I said to him [her son Joe] I would love to direct it. 

‘When you give it to a director it becomes theirs but I didn’t want that for him I wanted him to see it.’ 

Discussing working with her son, who wrote the screen play at the age of 19 while attending the National Film and Television School, Kate insisted they ‘didn’t fight’ on set.

She said: ‘We were learning different things about one another in the working capacity. We didn’t fight and I had to learn how to say things sensitives and he did as well. And I did it, I made my first feature’. 

The mother-of-three previously told Elizabeth Day’s podcast, How To Fail, that people in the industry had encouraged her to direct, saying that it could ‘change the culture’ of male-dominated Hollywood.

‘So many people will say to me on film sets, “Why aren’t you directing?” and I’ll go “no, no, no, please don’t say it. Stop saying it. Why does everyone keep saying it?”,’ Kate said.

Kate also revealed how she and Meryl Streep, 76, panicked when meeting the King earlier this year alongside David Beckham (L)

She said: ‘Meryl and I, we were walking to meet the King she said, “Do you think we have to curtsy” and I was like, “Obviously”. She asked, “Is it a big curtsy” and I was like “I don’t know”‘

She added: ‘And we didn’t know what the form was but obviously we had to curtsy. I volunteered to go first, I don’t mind getting it wrong, someone has to’

‘I know why I haven’t done it: because it’s a very long time, and it’s a huge commitment, and I have always had a family. I had Mia when I was 25 years old, and so there’s just no way I would have ever been able to do it.

‘But the more I’m not doing it now, with the need to change the culture, the more I feel like I’m actually letting down other women by not doing it. I’m really starting to feel that.’

Her children have followed her into the industry.

Joe starred alongside his mother in Lee, having also appeared in the Oscar-nominated war film 1917, which was directed by his father.

Meanwhile, her daughter Mia Threapleton, 24 – whose father is Kate’s first husband, actor Jim Threapleton – is also making a name for herself as an actress, having won acclaim for her role alongside her mother in the Bafta award-winning domestic drama I Am Ruth.

Kate also has a younger son, 11-year-old Bear, with her third husband Edward Abel Smith, the nephew of Sir Richard Branson.

Goodbye June, which is described as a ‘touching, humorous drama’, also stars Dame Helen Mirren.

It’s set to hit theatres on December 12 before it begins streaming on Netflix on December 24.