Kate Middleton Attending BAFTA With Prince William, Yet If She Wears Black, Duchess Would Break Royal Rules

This year, women attending the British Academy Film Awards, better known as BAFTA, have been asked to wear black in support of #TimesUp, just as they had at the Golden Globes. Kate Middleton will once again attend the highly prestigious awards show with the president of BAFTA, her husband Prince William.

But now the question is whether Duchess Kate will support the #TimesUp movement and wear black. Over the years, Kate Middleton has used fashion as part of her charm offensive and as a way to honor Princess Diana. Will she break royal protocol at BAFTA, make a political statement, and wear black in support of women whose voices are not heard?

According to the definitive women’s fashion magazine, W, the actual rules that Kate has to follow are “very vaguely defined, and there’s no set parameters for what constitutes a ‘political statement.’ ”

They contend that as the Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince William and Prince Harry (who started the mental health initiative, Heads Together), she has already been involved in a “political statement.”

While the royal family is supposed to be apolitical, because they are not elected democratically, several royals have made statements over the years.

Prince Charles has long been a staunch advocate for the environment, and it could be said that Princess Diana made a political statement when in 1987, she touched an AIDS patient without gloves, changing the stigma surrounding AIDS.

W contends that the issues that #TimesUp addresses, such as gender pay equality and sexual harassment issues such as the Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey accusations, “don’t seem particularly controversial.”

They contend that Kate will most likely wear a similar dress as she wore last year, when she wore an effervescent black Alexander McQueen dress with embroidered white flowers.

Yet, the British paper Express believes that royal watchers will have eagle eyes on Kate. They expect her to follow strict royal protocol. Kate has always avoided nail polish, per protocol, and when she was in Scandinavia, she left her coat on, per protocol. They do not expect her to wear black.

They point out that Kate must follow the “royal rules to the letter.” They believe that Kate will be “forced to turn her back in the feminist Time’s Up movement by not wearing black at the BAFTAs.”

Will she or won’t she? According to Express, the Duchess and the other attendees have been sent a compelling letter requesting that they use their considerable influence and wear black to promote Times Up. The letter asks those who are “privileged enough” to participate in this symbolic and political gesture for those who cannot express their own voice.

“We hope that those of us who are privileged enough to have a platform, can use it to raise awareness of the experiences of women beyond our industry, whose experiences are often silenced and marginalised.”

Last year, BAFTA also became an issue. The Inquisitr reported that Kate was not welcome to BAFTA, as she would outshine the starlets. Prince William allegedly “put his foot down” and insisted his wife accompany him and he won.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge literally beamed when they arrived.

As stated, Kate dressed with understated beauty, and looked fashionable, yet appeared careful not to outshine the nominated starlets with glitz.

This year, BAFTA is on February 18, and all eyes will be watching to see what color Kate wears and if she makes a political statement or if she sticks with royal protocol and wears a color, or chooses something in between.