Prince William was absent from the 74th annual British Academy Film Awards following the death of his grandfather, Prince Philip.
Variety soon confirmed William’s departure from the awards ceremony, which came a day after Buckingham Palace announced Philip’s departure.
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“In light of the passing of The Duke of Edinburgh, The Duke of Cambridge will no longer be part of BAFTA programming this weekend,” BAFTA’s statement to Variety read.
The film academy continued its two-night event, hosted by TV presenters Edith Bowman and Dermot O’Leary on BBC One.
Prince William William has been the President of the British Academy Film Awards since 2010.
(REUTERS)
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William has been the president of BAFTA since 2010, and usually makes an appearance with his wife Kate Middleton.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge did not speak publicly about Philip’s death, but the royal couple honored him with a repositioning of the photo and statement issued by Buckingham Palace.
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“It is with deep sadness that Her Majesty the Queen announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh,” the statement read, along with a black and white portrait of Philip. “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully at Windsor Castle this morning.”
Decades before William took a leadership role at BAFTA, the Duke of Edinburgh became the first president of the organization in 1959.
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In a statement issued Friday, BAFTA thoroughly chronicled Philip’s commitment to the arts.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose close association with the academy extends over 60 years,” read part of the statement. “The Duke occupies a special place in the history of the Academy and it will be greatly missed. We think of the royal family, to whom we wish to express our deepest sympathy.”
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Philip entered the British royal family when he married Queen Elizabeth II in 1947. He passed away on April 9, 2021 at the age of 99.