The Prince of Wales, Prince William, extended his apologies on behalf of his wife, Princess Kate, as he attended the BAFTAs alone due to her absence owing to health reasons.

William, who serves as the President of BAFTA, expressed regret on behalf of Kate for not being able to accompany him to the prestigious awards ceremony held on Sunday night.

He conveyed her love for BAFTA and acknowledged that he hasn’t had the opportunity to watch as many of the 38 nominated feature films as he would have liked.

William, aged 41, has been actively supporting his wife during her recovery from stomach surgery last month, while also fulfilling parental duties towards their three young children and managing their royal obligations.

Reflecting on his reduced public engagements, he shared with Elaine Beadle, Chief Executive of the Southbank Centre, that he has been doing the bare minimum lately due to the circumstances.

He expressed optimism about catching up soon and acknowledged his delayed decision to attend the BAFTAs.

The Prince’s presence at the awards ceremony was uncertain until Kensington Palace confirmed it on Friday, considering Princess Kate’s ill health and King Charles’ recent cancer diagnosis.

William, who has been associated with the charity as its President since 2010, conversed with BBC executive Charlotte Moore about his admiration for filmmaker Christopher Nolan and his hopes for Nolan’s movie “Oppenheimer” to clinch an award.

Despite not having watched Margot Robbie-starrer “Barbie” yet, he expressed interest in doing so.

Arriving at the Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank on Sunday afternoon, Prince William appeared cheerful as he interacted with well-wishers and fans.

Among the attendees were renowned personalities like David Beckham and Kate Blanchett, creating a buzz before the event commenced, with actor David Tennant hosting for the first time.