Prince William makes his first appearance without the support of Duchess Kate on the BAFTA red carpet, still creating a buzz with a moment alongside David Beckham.

On the evening of February 18th (local time), Prince William joined numerous stars and celebrities at the 2024 BAFTA Awards, the British Academy Film Awards held annually in London, UK. At the event, the Prince of Wales showed a relaxed and cheerful demeanor despite the absence of Duchess Kate, who has often accompanied him to previous BAFTA ceremonies.

Appearing at the event, William dressed elegantly in his characteristic navy velvet suit. He apologized for Kate’s absence, stating, “I’m sorry Catherine couldn’t be here; she loves BAFTA.”

Some images captured at the event also showed William behind the scenes of the awards ceremony, chatting with film and television stars such as Phoebe Dynevor, American star Ayo Edebiri, and Australian actress Sophie Wilde.

He also greeted director Savannah Leaf of “Earth Mama,” producer Medb Riodan, and producer Shirley O’Connor backstage, who won the BAFTA for best British debut by a writer, director, or producer.

Despite not having Kate by his side, William still garnered media attention at the BAFTA, particularly with a viral interaction with football icon David Beckham. Previously, David Beckham’s ex-wife was invited to William and Kate’s wedding in 2011 and has maintained a close relationship with the royal family over the years.

At present, Prince William is believed to be shouldering more royal responsibilities as Prince Charles rests at Sandringham following his cancer diagnosis announcement. Meanwhile, Duchess Kate is recovering from her abdominal surgery in early February.