Kevin Costner recently shared a touching memory involving Prince William, revealing that Princess Diana “kind of fancied” him. The actor, known for his roles in “Field of Dreams” and “Yellowstone,” recounted the story in a new interview with PEOPLE.
Costner recalled a conversation with Prince William that likely took place in the early 2010s. The actor had previously been in discussions with Princess Diana about co-starring in a sequel to “The Bodyguard.” During their chat, William mentioned that his late mother had enjoyed her conversations with Costner.
“I ultimately had a very sweet conversation about 15 years later with Prince William,” Costner said. “He walked up, and we sat down, and shook hands. The first line out of his mouth was, ‘You know, my mom kinda fancied you.’
Costner explained that he met with William while he was in England. “I happened to be over in England, and got this message that, ‘The Prince would love to talk to you,'” Costner shared. “I’ve never talked about this, but I can because of how much I respect him. We met in this room, where the chairs were still stacked on chairs. It was just us. I’m sure there was somebody outside, but just him and I met. There was nobody else.”
Although Costner declined to share further details about their conversation, he emphasized the positive impression William left on him. “We talked for about a half hour. I’ll never say what we talked about, but it was a very sweet thing,” he said. “And we both broke away, and never became pen pals or did anything like that, but I’ve had such fond memories about who he was, how I was approached, and what we talked about.”
Costner had previously spoken about the potential “Bodyguard” sequel in 2019. “I just remember her being incredibly sweet on the phone when she asked the questions,” he said of Princess Diana. “She goes, ‘Are we going to have like a kissing scene?’ But she said it in a very respectful way. She was a little nervous because I think her life was very governed.”
The actor credited Sarah, Duchess of York, for facilitating the project. “Sarah was the one that set this up,” Costner told PEOPLE. “Sarah was very cool, the duchess. When she could’ve been going, ‘Whoa, I’m a princess too, what about me?,’ she didn’t. She didn’t do that at all. She said, ‘No, I’m gonna make this happen.’ And she did. I always respected her for that.”
Costner’s interaction with Prince William was a memorable moment for the actor, who remains charmed by the prince. “It was a very sweet thing,” he said. “We just chatted and we both broke away. We never became pen pals or did anything like that. But I’ve had such fond memories of who he was, how I was approached, and what we talked about.”
Costner’s connection to the British royal family extends beyond this meeting. Years earlier, he had been in talks with Princess Diana about a potential sequel to his 1992 hit film, “The Bodyguard,” which starred Whitney Houston. The project, however, never came to fruition.
Despite the project’s failure to materialize, Costner fondly remembers his interactions with Diana. “I just remember her being incredibly sweet on the phone when she asked the questions,” he said. “She was a little nervous because I think her life was very governed.”
Costner’s story about Princess Diana and Prince William offers a glimpse into the personal connections between Hollywood and the British royal family. It also highlights the lasting impact of Diana’s charm and the respect she garnered from those who knew her.
