Prince William and Catherine’s decision to attend the Baftas on Sunday reinforced their status as “the future of the monarchy” at a moment when the Royal Family is under intense scrutiny over the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal, a royal author has claimed.
The Prince and Princess of Wales made a high-profile appearance at the British Academy Film Awards in London on February 22.
During the outing, Prince William spoke candidly about his state of mind while discussing one of the season’s most talked-about films, Hamnet.
The Waleses’ appearance came as the Royal Family continues to face political and public fallout connected to Mr Mountbatten-Windsor, with recent polling suggesting public frustration about the broader handling of the issue.
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In an exclusive interview with GB News, Richard Fitzwilliams said the Waleses remain central to the monarchy’s long-term stability and public support.
He said: “They’ve always been the future of the monarchy, they and their children, and the way they have over 70 per cent support shows that people agree. It was so good to see them.”
While Mr Fitzwilliams cited support “over 70 per cent”, recent polling suggests the picture depends on the measure used.
YouGov’s royal favourability tracker published in January reported that around three-quarters of Britons held a positive opinion of Prince William and Catherine, placing both in the mid-70s.
Britons ‘agree’ Catherine and Prince William are the future of the monarchy amid divided polling
|GETTY
However, Ipsos polling published this month has pointed to a broader softening in sentiment towards the Royal Family since late 2025.
This included a decline in favourability ratings for several royals and sharply reduced confidence in how the situation regarding Mr Mountbatten-Windsor has been handled.
Mr Fitzwilliams said Prince William’s comments at the Baftas appeared to reflect the strain of recent events, suggesting the prince’s public remarks were a rare insight into his private state.
He said: “William was quite frank talking about Hamnet, and also talking about his ‘not being in a calm state’, obviously an indication that he was very troubled by what was happening. There’s no question about that.”
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A poll issued earlier this month showed that popularity dropped across the board for the Royal Family
| IPSOSAt the Baftas, Prince William said he was not “in a calm state” and said he needed to be calm to watch Hamnet, a film centred on grief and loss.
When asked if he believes the Prince of Wales's comment was definitely about the former Duke of York, Mr Fitzwilliams clarified: "It's about Andrew. He knew that that would get currency, and it certainly has."
Mr Fitzwilliams also argued the engagement carried significance beyond royal optics, pointing to the Prince of Wales’s long-standing association with Bafta and the importance of the arts to the UK.
While William chose to reveal his emotional state, Catherine maintained her silence on the Andrew situation throughout the evening
| GETTYHe said: “The link with Bafta is very significant, because the creative industries are so important.”
The Baftas are among the most prominent fixtures in Britain’s cultural calendar, drawing global attention to UK film and television and to the wider creative economy.
Prince William attended in his capacity as Bafta’s president and presented the Fellowship award during the ceremony.