Roll out the red carpet from Sandringham to Southbank! Prince William will attend the BAFTAs

After a restful half-term period in Norfolk, Prince William will travel to London to attend Sunday’s BAFTAs awards ceremony

Britain’s top film and TV talent will be pressing their dinner suits and picking out (or perhaps having a stylist pick out) their best ball gowns. The BAFTAs are round the corner; coming up on this Sunday. In time honoured fashion, they will see the best of British – on both the big and small screen – rewarded for their artistic efforts. The Prince of Wales, President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, will be in attendance, where at the ceremony he will meet award winners and nominees of the up-and-comer award – EE Rising Star award.

Prince William, Prince of Wales, attends the EE BAFTA Film Awards 2023

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The ceremony will take place at the Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank centre, on the banks of the River Thames. They will be hosted for the first time by hero of British acting, David Tennant, the one-time ‘Doctor Who’ and acclaimed Shakespearean. A total of 38 films have been nominated for awards on this occasion.

No doubt to the regret of many, Princess Kate will remain at home as she continues her convalescence following abdominal surgery in January. It is understood that the Princess will be focused on her recovery until at Easter at the earliest, taking a step back from royal duties. This means that the Wales’ rumoured springtime trip to Rome will likely be cancelled.

Prince William and Princess Kate at the 2019 BAFTAs awards

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When it comes to the BAFTAs, the Wales’ presence has been somewhat chequered in recent years. They pulled out in 2022 due to ‘diary constraints’ and the year before that because of the sudden passing of the Duke of Edinburgh. They were very much present at the 2023 awards. The Princess delivered one of her most memorable outfits of the year: a mesmerising monochrome suite comprised of a reworked Alexander McQueen one-shoulder gown and long black opera gloves. William was elegant and direct in a black velvet dinner suit from Tom Ford. The Princess had, in fact, worn the classical gown for a previous BAFTAs; wearing an earlier iteration with floral shoulder detail at the 2019 awards.

Prince William and Princess Kate at the 2023 BAFTAs. Kate wears the iconic Alexander McQueen ensemble

 Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Princess, now 42, has been out of the public eye since a quiet departure from Marylebone’s The London Clinic in January. Her recovery is being treated as paramount, and the Waleses have also had the King’s cancer diagnosis to contend with. It is said that they are spending half-term near the King, staying at Anmer Hall on the Sandringham estate for some quiet family time. William will travel from Norfolk to London on Sunday for the BAFTAs.

Prince William on stage at the 2019 BAFTAs

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There is an obvious strain on the royal family at the moment – and no doubt William in particular will be feeling the pressure. His father battling cancer and his wife recovering from major surgery, William is expected to make his presence felt by stepping up to cover public duties, while at the same time continuing as a meaningful figure of support for his family. No mean feat.