BAFTA 2026: Prince William Says He's Not In 'Calm State' Amid Royal Family Crisis

Amid the ongoing crisis within the royal family, the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards held at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday (February 22) night. Prince William, as BAFTA President, and Catherine (formerly known as Kate Middleton) made their first joint appearance since ex-Prince Andrew’s arrest in the Epstein files probe.

William and Catherine complemented each other with their outfits. The Prince was dressed in a burgundy velvet jacket, black pants, white shirt and black tie, while the Princess of Wales donned a floor-length pink Gucci dress for the star-studded event. The Prince of Wales presented the 2026 BAFTA Fellowship award to Dame Donna Langley at the awards show.

Prince William's statement at BAFTA

William, 43, on the red carpet, while discussing films, said, “I thought F1 was a fantastic film, mainly because of the music. I’ve seen One Battle After Another with Leo, I thought that was quite good,” per Variety.

He admitted he had not watched Hamnet because he was not in the right frame of mind, saying, “I need to be in quite a calm state, and I’m not at the moment. I will save it.”

The Prince's comment came just three days after Prince Andrew's arrest.

About Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (previously known as the Duke of York) was arrested last week on suspicion of misconduct in a public office. His name has been allegedly associated with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, but Andrew has denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein.

If he is convicted, it could lead to a life sentence.

King Charles III responded to the arrest of his brother in a statement.

“The law must take its course,” the King said. He also added that he “learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office.”