Prince William reappears after palace confirms royal will miss BAFTAs with Princess Kate

Prince William confirmed earlier this week that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, would be missing this year’s BAFTAs, which take place on Sunday.

However, the Prince of Wales supported young filmmakers on Wednesday as the father-of-three visited the London Screen Academy and even got behind the camera. The royal rode on a tracking dolly to help the students capture shots during his visit to the academy in Highbury, London. When asked if he might join a future production, William joked: “I might need a bit of practice!”

During his visit, the royal met with representatives from BAFTA and the LSA board, where they discussed industry opportunities for young people. “It feels as though a lot of people don’t know that they can be in the film industry,” William mused, saying that the “film star essence… is so distant from reality.”

William also toured one of the academy’s hair and make-up studios, where he was trained to apply prosthetics to make it look like there was a scar on his hand.

Since 2010, William has served as the president of BAFTA, having succeeded actor and director Sir Richard Attenborough.

The royal has attended several BAFTA ceremonies, but it was confirmed this week that he would be absent from the next awards ceremony. William has never attended the event two years in a row, so the absence isn’t entirely unsurprising.

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The 42-year-old didn’t attend in 2021 due to his grandfather Prince Philip’s passing, while in 2022, he wasn’t present due to “diary constraints.”

Last year, William made a solo red carpet appearance while his wife, Princess Kate, continued to recover at home following her planned abdominal surgery.

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It hasn’t been confirmed why the royal couple will be absent from this year’s ceremony; however, the date does coincide with the start of the half-term break. The Wales family often enjoy spending private time together, whether at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall, or on a fun family trip.

The EE BAFTA Film Awards, hosted by Doctor Who star David Tennant, take place at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in central London on Sunday 16 February.