Here's What Prince William Said During That Viral BAFTAs Moment

Prince William's appearance at the 2024 BAFTAs created quite a stir after a photo of him speaking with a group of actors went viral. The prince, serving as the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, was captured in a candid moment with Rising Star Award nominees Phoebe Dynevor, Ayo Edebiri, Sophie Wilde, and Mia McKenna-Bruce backstage. The photo sparked widespread curiosity, with many wondering what was said to elicit such surprised reactions from the actors. As reported by HuffPost, this royal encounter has become a topic of intrigue and speculation among fans and media alike.

In footage of the moment, William said, "Very nice to see you guys. Honestly, like the category was so strong – all of you – it was like who’s going to pull this off. It was incredible. It was very close between all of you." In a captured moment from their interaction, William is seen laughing heartily, contrasting with the varied reactions from the rising stars. He greeted each actor with a handshake during their meeting at London's Royal Albert Hall. However, his focus shifted to congratulating McKenna-Bruce, who had just won the Rising Star Award. She received the award for her compelling portrayal of a sexual assault victim in the film How To Have Sex.

William told her, “I haven’t yet watched your film. I think it looked like you had a lot of fun.” Meeting nobility like William often involves adhering to certain customs, although the royal family clarifies on their website that these are not mandatory protocols. Despite opting for a handshake over a curtsy, McKenna-Bruce cheekily responded to William's comment. Unknowing the prince, she said, “I recommend watching it." In recent interviews, the 26-year-old has expressed notable pride in her role in How To Have Sex, which garnered an impressive eight-minute standing ovation at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

William revealed that he had watched the fewest BAFTA-nominated films this year, attributing this in part to his wife's recent abdominal surgery. Despite this, he managed to find time to watch Oppenheimer. However, he admitted to yet another arguably overlooked film. He also said, “I haven’t watched ‘Barbie’ yet, but I want to.” Then, William excused himself to continue greeting the remaining attendees. While his interaction with the nominees was brief and pleasant, a particular image of the enthusiastic royal gesturing toward McKenna-Bruce has captured attention online. Furthermore, fans have shared various reactions on social media platforms, according to The Independent's report.

One person tweeted, “I am simply beaming as I look at this photo of Ayo Edebiri meeting Prince William at the Baftas." Another person wrote, "Welcoming Ayo as a Board member to the Please Don’t Expect Me to Control My Face club." In this year's BAFTAs, Oppenheimer and Yorgos Lanthimos's sci-fi comedy Poor Things stole the spotlight, dominating the top categories. Christopher Nolan's atomic bomb epic secured seven wins by the end of the night, including Best Director, Best Film, Best Leading Actor, and Best Supporting Actor.