Emma Stone Joins Kate and William on BAFTAs Red Carpet as Prince Says He Is 'Not in a Calm State'
emma stone appeared on the BAFTAs red carpet as the Prince and Princess of Wales made their first public outing since the arrest of the prince's uncle, and Prince William said he was "not in a calm state" when asked about watching one of the nominated films.
Emma Stone walked the red carpet with Hollywood company
The Princess of Wales dazzled alongside Hollywood stars including Kate Hudson and Emma Stone at the 2026 BAFTAs, attending the ceremony at London's Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The appearance followed the couple's return to a major public event after the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a development that has dominated the headlines this week.
Prince William admits he wasn't calm at the ceremony
Prince William, who serves as BAFTA president, told assembled press he "needed to be in a calm mood" to watch the historical drama Hamnet and added, "I need to be in quite a calm state, and I am not at the moment. I will save it. " It was his first public appearance since his uncle's arrest and subsequent release from police custody on Feb. 19, hours after being detained on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
Kate Middleton attended the awards after watching Hamnet the previous night, which left her with what William described as "floods of tears" and, she said, "very puffy eyes. " The princess also made a separate public appearance at a championship rugby match between England and Ireland in Twickenham on Saturday, marking another step back into public life since her health announcement earlier this year.
Red carpet moments and winners on the night
Amid the royal attention, the ceremony produced notable industry moments: the actor Robert Aramayo won two BAFTAs and was singled out by critics as a significant upset in the best actor category. Emma Stone, present among the A-list attendees, joined other stars on the Southbank Centre carpet as the awards wrapped up a night that blended film celebration with unavoidable questions about the royal family.
The public appearance underscored the tightrope the couple is walking—balancing royal duties such as William's role with BAFTA and the demands of high-profile public events while the fallout from the arrest of a senior royal relative continues to play out.
MPs are set to return to Westminster today, where some have signaled they will press for greater scrutiny of the royal household in light of recent revelations about long-standing relationships and the handling of official roles. That parliamentary return is the next confirmed event tied to the wider story surrounding the arrest and its political reverberations.
For now, the BAFTAs offered a moment of public ceremony: the couple walked the red carpet together at the Royal Festival Hall, Kate attended the rugby match in Twickenham, and Emma Stone appeared among the evening's high-profile guests — all framed by William's plain admission that he was not feeling calm on what was otherwise a celebratory night for British film.
