Prince William and Princess Kate were pictured shortly before taking their seats at the 2026 BAFTA Awards in their first joint appearance since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest
Prince William was seen having a sweet moment with his wife Kate Middleton just moments after the couple walked the red carpet together at the 2026 BAFTA awards.
There had been high pressure on the couple with it being their first joint public appearance days after the arrest of William’s uncle Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor this week. The outcry over the former Duke’s friendship with convicted child predator Jeffrey Epstein had sparked calls to remove the monarchy altogether by some.
Therefore it was no surprise that Prince William was seen taking a pause after stepping out in front of a wall of paparazzi cameras at the glamorous event.
After William and Kate made sure they were last to walk the red carpet and hurried quickly inside – choosing not to pose for photos – the royal couple were seen having a brief moment of togetherness.
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In a tender black and white photo, William was seen putting an affectionate hand to Kate’s back just after they stood out in front of the world’s glare and before they took their seats to be on camera sat front row at Royal Festival Hall once again.
According to body language expert Judi James, who has followed the couple for years, William took the opportunity for a moment of ‘support’ from his wife of 14 years.
Judi said: “The moment when he gets to place a loving hand onto his wife’s back looks like one of some relief from William here. When their hands dangle together there is a hint he would enjoy the touch of a hand clasp but here he finally gets to connect with a gesture of affection and support.”
According to Judi, Princess Kate managed to handle the occasion with more assurity than her husband. She explained: “Kate’s body language suggests an ability to project more playful confidence than William can manage here. Her eyes greet the cameras, and she throws a friendly and very direct smile with her arms still loose at her sides, while William’s arms appear to show signs of some muscle tension as his hands pull upward slightly from bent elbows. His fingers are curled into loose fists and his own smile seems to come with a tight top lip.”
William, who is president of the arts charity, walked down the red carpet with his wife, the Princess of Wales, at the Royal Festival Hall by the South Bank in London on Sunday in his first public appearance since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest.
The royal couple chatted to representatives from Bafta and the Southbank Centre before taking their seats in the star-studded auditorium for the awards ceremony.
Kate rivalled some of the huge stars in attendance with her glamorous Gucci gown. According to expert Judi, Kate’s look was designed to help her look as calm and confident as possible.
She explained: “Kate has pulled off another impeccable A-list red carpet look here although her body language and her styling suggest a softer and more relatable, accessible narrative than some of her previous, full-on glamour looks.
“She walks upright with her arms hanging loosely at either side to radiate soft confidence and soft power. The focus of this look is less about sculpted styling and more about her flowing, tumbling curls that reflect her recent passions for nature.
“Her eyes scan the sides of the red carpet to connect with people watching, and her softer, less regal smile suggests a desire to seek out and to connect with other people here. There are moments when there is a hint of tension in her smile, when her teeth appear clenched edge to edge but then there are more natural Duchenne smiles and even some open-mouthed ones to suggest a slightly more relaxed air of enjoyment.
“William appears in two body language states here. In one he keeps his head slightly dipped as he smiles, making him look a little shy. In another he appears to be concentrating, with a tenser expression that involves some slight sucking in of the lips and a hint of a frown.
His hanging right hand shows a curling of the fingers so that the thumb touches the index finger that can again hint at some inner tension. His hair and his beard appear to have been cropped closer in a more fashionable look but there seems to be more grey hair showing than he’s appeared to have before.”
Kate made her first public appearance since Andrew’s arrest on Saturday as she donned an England rugby scarf to watch the team lose to Ireland 42-21 in the Six Nations at Twickenham.
Andrew was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, spending 11 hours in custody on his 66th birthday, after allegations he shared sensitive information with Jeffrey Epstein during his time as the UK’s trade envoy.
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