Prince William Admits to Not Being in a ‘Calm State’ at BAFTAs Following Royal Arrest
The Prince of Wales, William, revealed he was not feeling entirely composed as he attended the prestigious BAFTAs on Sunday evening. This marked his first public appearance since the recent arrest of his uncle, Prince Andrew.
Arriving alongside his wife, the Princess of Wales, Kate, at the Royal Festival Hall on London’s South Bank, the royal couple were greeted before taking their seats in the packed, star-studded auditorium for the annual awards ceremony. William, who serves as president of the arts charity BAFTAs, engaged in conversation with representatives from BAFTAs and the Southbank Centre.
During a discussion with Elaine Bedell, chief executive of the Southbank Centre, and Allison Kirkby, chief executive of BT Group, William mentioned he had not yet seen the critically acclaimed film Hamnet.
“I need to be in quite a calm state and I’m not at the moment,” he candidly admitted, indicating his current state of mind. “I will save it.”
Hamnet, the big-screen adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning novel, delves into the family life of William Shakespeare and the tragic death of his young son.
Princess Kate’s Emotional Response to Hamnet
Princess Kate, on the other hand, shared her experience of watching the highly nominated film just the day before, on Saturday. Speaking with Emily Stillman, chairwoman of BAFTAs’ film committee, and Emma Baehr, executive director of the charity’s awards and content, Kate described the film as a deeply moving experience.
“Yes, I think it was a very bad idea actually… ended up with very puffy eyes,” she confessed, highlighting the emotional impact of the movie. She further elaborated, calling it “really very very powerful,” and particularly praised its “fantastic” and “raw” musical score. The Princess also spoke about the film’s sensitive portrayal of “intergenerational grief.”
Ms. Stillman reminisced about their last meeting, recalling that it was when the Princess was pregnant with Prince George back in 2013, and even remembered Kate performing Harry Potter spells. Kate acknowledged the memory with a smile.
Royal Children and the Magic of Filmmaking
The Princess of Wales also revealed that her children are developing a growing interest in film. “They love the idea of being behind the scenes and finding out how it all happens,” she commented, suggesting they would be fascinated by the world of BAFTAs.
She shared with Ms. Bedell and Ms. Kirkby that “the children are getting into film a bit more,” and that it serves as “a really great way to have some of the hard conversations with them.” The royal couple, it seems, have a substantial watchlist, as Kate added, “We have still got a long list of films we haven’t seen… Hopefully this will help.”
For the evening, Princess Kate looked elegant in a pink and white gown accentuated by a burgundy velvet belt, which complemented Prince William’s suit jacket.
A Year of Support and Difficult Times
As the awards ceremony commenced, Sara Putt, chairwoman of BAFTAs, formally thanked Prince William for his consistent support of the organisation throughout the year.
The Prince’s candid admission of not being in a “calm state” comes in the wake of a challenging week for the Royal Family, following Prince Andrew’s arrest on Thursday. He was taken into custody on suspicion of misconduct in public office, spending 11 hours in custody on his 66th birthday. This followed allegations concerning the sharing of sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein during his tenure as the UK’s trade envoy.
Princess Kate had also made her first public appearance post-arrest on Saturday, attending the Six Nations rugby match at Twickenham where she was seen sporting an England rugby scarf as she watched the team’s defeat against Ireland.
