Prince William Reportedly Left BAFTA Organizers Very Unhappy
In her Platinum Jubilee speech, Queen Elizabeth confirmed Prince Charles will be her successor and encouraged Brits to "give him and his wife Camilla the same support that you have given me," per CBS. When Charles becomes king, Prince William will be second-in-line to the throne and his role may change. According to an insider who spoke to Us Weekly, the father and son look forward to "working very closely together," and Wills is "excited about this new chapter in his life and the challenges he'll be facing." While the duke has always been an important member of The Firm, after his father ascends to the throne, Wills will "be taking on extra duties over the next decade."
In fact, the duke is already stepping up his royal game. Queen Elizabeth was scheduled to attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 14. However, the Daily Mail reported that since the queen is still recovering from her COVID-19 diagnosis from February, the royal household decided that Charles would represent her at the service. Prince William and Kate Middleton were seen arriving first, and his father and Camilla-Parker Bowles arrived shortly thereafter, per AFP. The Duchess of Cambridge wore a regal blue outfit, while her spouse wore a matching tie, and as always, all eyes were on the Cambridges as they entered the church. It's little wonder that the British Academy Film Awards felt slighted when Will and Kate did not attend this year's event one evening prior.
Prince William virtually delivers 90-second speech at BAFTAs
Even though Prince William is the president of the British Academy Film Awards, he couldn't attend the event. According to Us Weekly, "diary constraints" prevented him from making an appearance at the prestigious awards. The BAFTA organizers were "very disappointed," per the Mirror, because "Prince William is always a huge draw." However, the show went on and the Duke of Cambridge did make an appearance, albeit virtually.
Wills delivered a 90-second, pre-recorded speech in a video message. In his speech, he praised the work that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts does to "support talented people to develop successful careers." He specifically mentioned one project, "Breakthrough," and described it as a "yearlong mentoring and guidance initiative which helps people achieve their true potential." Wills said that he hoped that BAFTA would continue to inspire future filmmakers and congratulated all the BAFTA nominees and winners.
Even though Wills did show his support for the awards virtually, it appears as if the BAFTA organizers would have preferred an in-person attendance. In 2021, Wills had to withdraw from the virtual ceremony because Prince Philip died, and in 2020, COVID restrictions also wreaked havoc. The source told the Mirror, "It's the first year back in person after the pandemic," and they apparently needed his physical support after a long absence. Alas, maybe the duke will make it to the 2023 BAFTAs.