![The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the BAFTA Film Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK, on the 19th February 2023. 19 Feb 2023 Pictured: The Prince and Princess of Wales attend the BAFTA Film Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall, London, UK, on the 19th February 2023. Photo credit: James Whatling / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com +1 888 505 6342 (Mega Agency TagID: MEGA944761_003.jpg) [Photo via Mega Agency]](https://preprod.hollywoodlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/kate-william-bafta.jpg?quality=100&w=324)
A devoted grandson and future King, Prince William attended the BAFTAs on Sunday February 19th with Princess Kate to keep up the legacy of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. She was a patron of the organization throughout her reign and because of her dedication, the BAFTAs saw fit to honor her in their first award show since her passing on September 8th, 2022.
Helen Mirren, who famously portrayed Her Majesty in the film The Queen, led a special tribute to Queen Elizabeth II during the show that moved Prince William to tears. “Cinema at its best does what Her Majesty did effortlessly – bring us together and unite us through a story. Your Majesty, you were our nation’s leading star,” the actress said of the Queen. “BAFTAs relationship with Her Majesty was longstanding and BAFTA would not be what it is today without her loyal support,” she went on to say. “In 1953 her coronation broadcast had the world watching, from that time, she was unquestionably the nation’s leading lady. But was mysterious as a silent film star.”
As a short film showing the Queen’s years-long relationships with actors and actresses rolled, the cameras cut to Kate and William, who looked to have tears in his eyes. As the show’s guests of honor and as President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, William was there to watch the awards before meeting the night’s winners and EE Rising Star nominees.
All in all, the evening seemed a pleasant escape for the royal pair from the drama following their family as of late. Kate looked dazzling in an off the shoulder gown, while Prince William looked regal in his tux. To see them, you wouldn’t guess that the last few months as been plagued by the sorrowful loss of his grandmother, the stressful circumstances around his father, King Charles’, coronation, or the splashy headlines made by is brother, Prince Harry, after publishing a book and Netflix documentary all about their lives growing up together. Indeed, Prince Harry has painted a very complicated relationship between the brothers, but William has yet to respond to any of the allegations made by his younger sibling.