The 75th EE British Academy Film Awards took place on Sunday evening. The Royal Albert Hall was filled with the usual mix of actors, singers and TV personalities. However, two guests in particular were noticeably absent – Prince Williamand Kate Middleton.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge normally make a grand entrance to the BAFTA red carpet. This year fans were eagerly anticipating their arrival, but Prince William – who has been BAFTA's president since 2010 – and his wife Kate did not attend the awards ceremony.
A BAFTA spokesperson confirmed the reason for their absence, announcing, ‘Due to diary constraints The Duke of Cambridge is not able to attend in person this year.’ It has been reported that BAFTA organisers are ‘very disappointed’ that Prince William didn’t turn up. A source told The Mirror, 'Prince William is always a huge draw, not least as it's the first year back in person after the pandemic. But BAFTA were told that diary constraints precluded him from attending in person this year. It's such a shame and everyone is very disappointed.'
Instead, Prince William only made a virtual appearance in the form of a pre-recorded 90 second video. In the clip he shared his admiration for The 'BAFTA Breakthrough' mentoring programme.
In the video he said, ‘Hello everyone. As president of BAFTA, I’m extremely proud to see the work that BAFTA undertakes year-round to provide opportunities and support for talented people to develop successful careers in films, games and television.
‘One of these programmes is Breakthrough, a year long mentoring and guidance initiative, which helps people achieve their true potential.'
He continued, 'It’s wonderful that there are more than 30 participants from Breakthrough UK in the audience this evening. Two of them, Aleem Khan and Jessie Buckley, are nominated for awards tonight. They join an impressive list of young talent including Bukky Bakray and Florence Pugh, as well as Paapa Essiedu, and Ray Panthaki, who are closely involved with BAFTA nominated films.
'BAFTA hopes to inspire and support future generations from all walks of life to become the filmmakers of the future. And I hope that for some of you watching these awards, that journey starts today. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners and I wish you all a wonderful evening.'
Prince William has been President of The BAFTA’s for over 10 years and is a regular attendee at the star-studded awards ceremony.
READ MORE: There's A Very Good Reason Why Kate Middleton Always Dresses To A Theme
READ MORE: Kate Middleton Arrives In Denmark Wearing A £59.99 Blazer – And It's Still In Stock