Prince William and Duchess Kate will not grace the red carpet at the 2022 British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Us Weekly can confirm.
“William and Duchess Kate will not be in attendance at the BAFTAs on Sunday, due to diary constraints,” a source tells Us of the Duke of Cambridge, 39, and the Duchess of Cambridge, 40. “It’s likely they will record a message to be played during the broadcast.”
William and the Berkshire, England, native’s Sunday, March 13, absence from the awards show is not the first time they’ve skipped the in-person festivities. The former RAF pilot — who is the current BAFTA president — canceled his appearance during last year’s show following the death of his grandfather, Prince Philip. William was initially slated to deliver a speech via video.
“In light of The Duke of Edinburgh’s passing, The Duke of Cambridge will no longer be part of BAFTA programming this weekend,” the British Academy confirmed via a statement in April 2021. “Our thoughts are with the Royal Family, to whom we offer our deepest sympathy at this time.”
The Duke of Edinburgh — who died earlier that month at age 99 — was later honored at the event. (Philip was the first president of the film organization.)
“Tonight we want to say on behalf of BAFTA that we are extremely saddened by the passing of His Royal Highness Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, on Friday,” host Clara Amfo explained during the broadcast at the time. “The Duke was BAFTA’s very first president over 60 years ago and was the first in a line of royal patronages all the way through to BAFTA’s current president, his grandson, the Duke of Cambridge.”
The BBC DJ, 37, continued: “It was Prince Philip and Her Majesty the Queen’s support throughout these years that in many ways allowed BAFTA, a leading charity in the arts, to continue in difficult times and to be here today in 2021 celebrating another outstanding year of achievement in film. The Duke of Edinburgh occupies a very special place in BAFTA history. He will be missed. Our thoughts are with the royal family.”
The royal couple — who wed in April 2011 and share children Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3 — last attended the prestigious ceremony in February 2020 after attending the three prior shows.
More recently, William and Kate have been keeping busy, completing several joint outings across the U.K. earlier this month.
“[Kate] has the coldest hands ever,” the military veteran told Welsh residents of his wife during a March 1 outing for St. David’s Day. “They say, ‘Cold hands, warm heart.’”
With reporting by Travis Cronin
