Absent in the last 2 years, William and Kate to attend BAFTA awards on Feb 19

Kensington Palace has confirmed that Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, now officially known as the Prince and Princess of Wales, will attend the BAFTA awards on February 19, says 'Variety'. They had skipped the ceremony for two consecutive years.

William, who's the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), hasn't attended the film awards since 2020. The royal couple understandably missed the April 2021 ceremony due to the death of Prince Philip the day before. Last year, however, they were also absent from the ceremony. A BAFTA spokesperson told 'Variety' at the time that this was due to "diary constraints".

The couple's absence is normally conspicuous as they tend to occupy the front-row ground level seats at the Royal Albert Hall, notes 'Variety'. Their attendance usually adds an extra layer of logistical considerations and, some might argue, glamour to the festivities.

At this year's awards -- which have been relocated from Royal Albert Hall to the Royal Festival Hall in London's Southbank -- the Prince and Princess of Wales will watch the ceremony, and then go backstage to meet the winners and the EE Rising Star Award nominees.

(With inputs from IANS)