Prince William Champions Young Filmmakers in Pre-Recorded BAFTAs Speech as He and Kate Middleton Miss Awards

Mar. 15, 2025

Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the BAFTA Awards on Feb. 19, 2023.Photo: Chris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty

The 2025 BAFTA Film Awards were not without the royal spark fromPrince William.

Prince William andKate Middletonhave attended Britain’s biggest night for movies together on five occasions before, but the couple did not attend the ceremony on Feb. 16. However, the Prince of Wales, who has been president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010, did appear in a video package during the awards show.

In the pre-recorded message, William marked the 20th anniversary of BAFTA’s Rising Star Award.

Prince William then introduced two previous winners, James McAvoy and Letitia Wright, to announce who would take home the prize.

The palace announced earlier this week that Prince William, 42, and Princess Kate, 43,would not be attending the BAFTAsthis year. Feb. 14 was the last day of school for their three children —Prince George, 11,Princess Charlotte, 9, andPrince Louis, 6 — before a half-term break. During school vacations, the couple usually makes a point to lessen their royal work and spend time together as a family. (They are currently on vacation on the private island of Mustique in the Caribbean, according to a report fromThe Mail on Sunday.)

Prince William didcelebrate British filmmakersearlier this week with an outing on Feb. 12 to the London Screen Academy. The royal met students making a film, meeting the hair and make-up teams, seeing how costumes were created and even getting behind the camera.

Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the BAFTA Film Awards on Feb. 19, 2023.Chris Jackson/Getty

The royal couple have missed the BAFTAs before. Prince Williamcanceled his appearance in 2021following the death of his grandfather Prince Philip, and the pair wereabsent due to diary constraintsthe following year.

The Prince of Wales lastattended the awards show in 2024, appearing solo while his wife was recovering fromabdominal surgery(the following month, Kate revealed that she was undergoing treatment for cancer). He told Elaine Bedell, chief executive of the Southbank Centre, at the event, “I’m sorry Catherine’s not here. She does love the BAFTAs.”

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Kate Middleton attends the BAFTA Film Awards on Feb. 19, 2023.Chris Jackson/Getty

Princess Katelast attended the BAFTAsalongside her husband in 2023,recycling a white Alexander McQueen gownthat she previously wore to the same event in 2019. She altered the one-shoulder dress to feature a chiffon sleeve detail, accessorizing with elbow-length gloves and statement earrings from Zara to give the ensemble a fresh look.

“Opera gloves are transformative; they have enormous leverage,” Genevieve James, creative director at royal glove supplierCornelia James, told PEOPLE at the time. “They turn any event into an occasion and a dress into a statement.”

source: people.com