William And Kate Dazzle Hollywood Stars

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have joined Hollywood stars in Los Angeles for a glittering Bafta dinner in aid of British creative talent.

The royals joined actors Jack Black, Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman and Jennifer Lopez as well as British comic actor Stephen Fry.

The royal couple have become the toast of California after jetting into the US on Friday for a three-day visit, which comes after a successful tour of Canada .

Kidman stopped briefly on the red carpet outside the theatre and praised the Duke and Duchess.

She said: "I think they are lovely. I just got off the phone to my mum and she said, 'I'm so glad you're going, you're Australian' - they just make you smile."

Fry, who met the couple at a consul-general reception on Friday night, welcomed the evening for presenting a "shop window" for new talent.

Forty-two emerging Brits were selected by an expert Bafta panel to attend the event at the Belasco Theatre to introduce them to the "movers and shakers" in Hollywood.

The Duke, who is the president of Bafta, gave a speech to the guests, asking them to help the new wave of "enormously talented Brits".

"Please give them the opportunities you have always extended to some of the brightest and best that Britain has to offer," he said.

"When American and British creative talent gets together, magic happens."

Fry also praised William and Kate's presence and the monarchy generally adding: "They are an extraordinary selling point that no other nation has.

"Picture for a second the grandson of the president of Italy arriving in LA - it would take half a line in a newspaper, it just wouldn't interest anybody."

Kate wore a lavender-coloured dress by Alexander McQueen, the same label which designed her wedding dress.

Earlier, the Duke played polo at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club in a tournament to raise funds for his charity The American Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry.

He told guests, including actors Billy Zane, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Rob Lowe, that he relished the chance to "let loose" after a busy few days.

William showed off his skills on the field by scoring four goals, earning him a kiss on both cheeks from his wife after she handed over the winning trophy to his team.