Tom Cruise, 61, ‘makes things official’ with Russian socialite Elsina Khayrova, 36, after a string of dates at her £10M Knightsbridge apartment

Tom Cruise is ‘growing closer’ to his glamorous Russian socialite girlfriend – and has been regularly spending nights at her swanky London apartment, friends have told MailOnline.

Cruise, 61 and Elsina Khayrova, 36, both attended a glittering gala dinner last week in support of London’s Air Ambulance Charity at the five-star Raffles Hotel where Prince William was guest of honour.

Cruise and his new love interest arrived at the glitzy event separately but friends say they have been spending more and more time together with the Hollywood actor a regular visitor to her lavish £10million apartment in Knightsbridge.

A source told MailOnline that the pair are now official, explaining: ‘It’s well known within Elsina’s circle that she and Tom are now an item.

‘They’ve grown very close over the past few weeks but take a lot of care not to be photographed together because they want to maintain their privacy.

Tom Cruise is ‘growing closer’ to his glamorous Russian socialite girlfriend – and has been regularly spending nights at her swanky London apartment, friends have told MailOnline

Cruise, 61 and Elsina Khayrova, 36, (pictured) both attended a glittering gala dinner last week in support of London’s Air Ambulance Charity at the five-star Raffles Hotel

They continued: ‘Tom has been staying the night at Elsina’s apartment, which as you can imagine, is a very beautiful place. They enjoy hanging out together and despite their wealth, do a lot of the things that normal couples do.’

The source revealed that the couple have also dined privately at a number of exclusive London restaurants and have also enjoyed strolls together through Hyde Park, while in disguise, which is close to Elsina’s home.

MailOnline has contacted Tom’s representatives for comment.

Khayrova posted pictures and a video of herself in a stunning black evening dress while attending the London Air Ambulance Black and White gala which raised £1.2 million.

Cruise was pictured chatting with Prince William who jokingly recalled his stylish fashion choice from the 2022 premiere of Top Gun: Maverick.

The Prince of Wales, 41, made a return to public engagements at the glitzy gala following the news of his father, King Charles III, cancer diagnosis.

Cruise is a long-term supporter of the charity organisation, and on spotting the actor, William quipped: ‘I haven’t got my Top Gun slippers on.’

The father-of-three was referring to his playful fashion choice at the Top Gun premiere – a pair of black loafers decorated with planes, reminiscent of the fighter aircraft used in the original 1986 action movie.

The Hollywood actor and Elsina are first believed to have met last December during a party in Mayfair, where they were seen canoodling.

One guest claimed: ‘They were inseparable, clearly a couple. He seemed to be besotted with her.

A source told MailOnline: ‘It’s well known within Elsina’s circle that she and Tom are now an item. Tom has been staying the night at Elsina’s apartment, which is a very beautiful place’

Khayrova attended the London Air Ambulance Black and White gala last week where Cruise was pictured catching up with Prince William

Elsina was previously married to Dimitry Tsvetkov, 43 who claimed that their acrimonious three-year divorce battle cost him an astonishing £150 million.

Speaking to MailOnline after news of his ex-wife’s romance with Cruise emerged, he claimed to have spent an astonishing £10million on clothes and another £2million on handbags for her, during their tumultuous 11-year marriage.

He said: ‘Irrespective of whoever she’s with, Tom Cruise or anybody else, they should be aware that she likes the finer things in life and has expensive and luxurious taste. Tom should keep his eyes and wallet wide open.’

But he added: ‘I’m happy for her, I wish her all the best.’

Following the London Air Ambulance gala, Cruise was spotted at a helipad in Battersea, London, as he prepared to leave the UK and head to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

He was pictured with a female companion, after piloting the matte black helicopter himself and landing on the helipad but it was not Elsina, who has been posting pictures of herself while on a skiing trip over the weekend in France.

In a speech during last week’s gala event Prince William told his audience: ‘I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you, also, for the kind messages of support for Catherine and for my father, especially in recent days. It means a great deal to us all.

‘It’s fair to say the past few weeks have had a rather ‘medical’ focus. So, I thought I’d come to an air ambulance function to get away from it all!’

There was also a joke for Cruise, known for his daredevil high-flying film stunts, as the royal said: ‘Here in London, the current aircraft have served magnificently. But our capital city needs a new fleet.

‘And we are Up Against Time. The clue really is in the Appeal’s name. By September, we need the two new red birds – decked with the latest kit such as night vision – in our skies.

‘I should also take this opportunity to give a mention to my – our – fellow pilot, Tom Cruise. Tom, huge thanks for supporting us tonight.

And if you wouldn’t mind not borrowing either of the new helicopters for the next Mission Impossible, it would be appreciated.

‘We have all seen on our screens that – how can I put it – you seem to have a different take on ‘normal wear and tear’ to the rest of us.

‘It’s not the kind that buffs out, that’s for sure.’

Khayrova, 36, is the daughter of a prominent Russian MP and ex-wife of a diamond-trading oligarch and is believed to have met Cruise in December at a party (pictured in 2018)