The Prince of Wales made a rarely candid remark as he and the Princess stepped out amid mounting Royal strain.
Prince William has admitted he is “not in a calm state” of mind as he arrived at the EE BAFTA Film Awards, acknowledging that recent months of personal and family turmoil have taken their toll.
Speaking openly on the red carpet at London’s Royal Festival Hall, the Prince revealed he has yet to watch Hamnet, one of the evening’s most emotional Best Film contenders, explaining that he simply wasn’t in the right frame of mind.
“I need to be in quite a calm state — and I’m not at the moment,” he said. “I’ll save it.”
The appearance marked the Prince’s first major public outing alongside Catherine, Princess of Wales since the dramatic arrest of his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, last week — a backdrop that appeared impossible to fully escape despite the couple’s composed display.
‘Floods of tears’
While William chose to delay watching Hamnet, Catherine had already seen the film the night before — and admitted it left her deeply emotional.
She revealed she was reduced to “floods of tears” by the film, which explores the childhood death of Shakespeare’s son and the grief endured by his parents.
“I thought it was a bad idea, actually,” the Princess joked. “I ended up with very puffy eyes. It was so beautifully shot. The music as well — the score is fantastic.”
She later praised the film’s sensitive portrayal of grief, particularly its focus on nature and stripped-back human emotion, as well as the performances of its child actors.
A glamorous return — under strain
Despite the heavy mood behind the scenes, the Prince and Princess made a striking return to the BAFTAs, walking the red carpet together for the first time since Andrew’s arrest.
Catherine stunned in a pink, floor-length Gucci gown — a piece she previously wore to a 2019 charity gala — styled with softly curled hair worn loose. William complemented her look with a dark red velvet tuxedo jacket that echoed the tone of her belt and clutch.
The couple were welcomed by Sir Kenneth Olisa, Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, before taking their seats in the front row of the ceremony.
Talking films — and family life
During conversations inside the venue, William and Catherine discussed their recent film viewing, revealing that William had seen One Battle After Another and described it as unexpectedly powerful, while he admitted other nominees were “a bit dark.”
Catherine also shared that their children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — are becoming increasingly interested in films.
“It’s a really great way to have some of the hard conversations with them,” she explained, noting how cinema can help explore difficult emotions and themes.
She also recalled a 2013 visit to the Warner Bros studios with Prince Harry, when she was pregnant with George, describing how the children now love learning what happens behind the scenes.
A return after absence
William has served as President of BAFTA since 2010, and the royal couple have long been regular attendees at the awards. However, Catherine had been absent from the ceremony for the past two years while undergoing treatment following her cancer diagnosis.
Their presence this year was widely seen as a symbolic show of resilience — even as pressure continues to mount on the Royal Family behind closed doors.
Royal tensions continue
The BAFTA appearance came amid an exceptionally tense period for the monarchy, following Andrew’s arrest and the widening police investigation into allegations linked to his time as a UK trade envoy.
King Charles issued an unprecedented statement confirming his “wholehearted support and co-operation” with the investigation, pledging full access to files and records and stating clearly that “the law must take its course.”
William and Catherine are understood to fully support the King’s position.
Andrew was questioned for 11 hours following his arrest and has since been moved from his former Windsor residence, with police now searching multiple properties as part of their ongoing inquiries.
As William and Catherine took their seats under the bright lights of the BAFTAs, the contrast between the glamour of the evening and the gravity of events facing the Royal Family could not have been more stark.
