Eddie Redmayne has become acting royalty after winning the Oscar for Best Actor on Sunday – but he's always shared the stage with royalty, as this photograph from his schooldays reveals.
Eddie, 33, went to the elite Eton School with Prince William and in 2000 they posed together as fellow members of 'Pop' - Eton's society of elected prefects. Eddie and the future Duke of Cambridge are seen posing on the school's steps, dressed in gaudy waistcoats – which they designed themselves Prince William's was made from one of his Aston Villa shirts!
The two boys were also on the same rugby team in 1997.
Eddie, who won the Oscar for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, has spoken of his school days with the Duke.
He told the Telegraph: "We were on the same Colts B team in 1997.
"I always felt slightly sorry for Will because everyone wanted to tackle the future King of England. He took all the hits.
"I'm pretty sure Will was more intimidating than I was. I don't think I intimidated anyone in my life. I haven't seen him since school, but he was a lovely man."
Eddie made his professional stage debut in the Globe Theatre's Twelfth Night two years after the prefect photograph was taken.
Speaking about his schooldays, the actor said: "It's the weird thing Eton does - you're at school next to lords and earls and, in my case, Prince William, so you end up being used to dealing with those sorts of people."
Of the 20 boys pictured, more than half ended up pursuing careers either in the law or as City bankers.