The Prince and Princess of Wales were not on the official guest list, but they made an appearance on Sunday night at the Royal Festival Hall in London for the BAFTA Awards, walking the red carpet.
Prince William is the honorary president of the academy, so it’s not entirely surprising. What was unexpected, however, was the prince’s confession on the red carpet that his wife, Catherine, had watched “Hamnet” on Saturday and ended up crying her eyes out.
The princess herself confirmed it without hesitation. She said watching it was a very bad idea because she ended up with very swollen eyes. Even so, she described it as “very powerful” and highlighted its music, which she described as “fantastic” and “raw,” as well as the way it portrays “intergenerational conflict.”
William, for his part, admitted that he hasn’t seen it yet, confessing that he needs to be in a fairly calm state, and at the moment, he isn’t. An honesty that, coming from him, speaks volumes.
‘Hamnet’ is based on Maggie O’Farrell’s novel and reconstructs William Shakespeare’s family life, centered around the death of his 11-year-old son. A story about the pain of losing a child, the grief that never ends, and how that fracture affects an entire family.
Given what Kate experienced in 2024, when she was diagnosed with cancer while raising three children, it makes perfect sense that this story would deeply affect her.
And the night proved her right, as ‘Hamnet’ won the BAFTA for Best Film, and Jessie Buckley won Best Actress for her performance. A film that is sweeping the awards and has already been validated by the Princess of Wales, who watched it with tearful eyes. It’s hard to find a better review.