Baftas 2017
All eyes were on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who arrived at the prestigious event to the sound of cheers AFP/Getty Images

While Hollywood royalty descended on London for the 70th annual EE British Academy Film Awards, all eyes were on the real royals as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge took to the red carpet ahead of the glamorous event.

Even in the presence of a galaxy of A-listers, including Nicole Kidman, Emma Stone, Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, the star of the moment was undoubtedly Kate Middleton, who dazzled onlookers with her sophisticated style.

Accompanied by Prince William, the mother-of-two combined the regal with understated evening glamour in a bespoke off-the-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown.

While the Duchess braved the icy chill in the off-the-shoulder gown, the dress, with its drop-waist and delicate floral design, showed off her slender figure.

With her hair styled into a chic up-do, her chandelier earrings brought a touch of sparkle to her ensemble.

The royal pair were the last to arrive on the red carpet, avoiding the celebrities who were at risk of being upstaged by the glamorous couple who met with loud cheers as they arrived.

Baftas 2017
Prince William and Kate Middleton walked the red carpet at the EE BAFTA Awards AFP/Getty Images

Penelope Cruz was still striking a pose for the photographers as the royals were whisked along the red carpet, while Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci strained to get a closer look at the couple as they took their seats in the Royal Albert Hall.

The royals were formally welcomed by Amanda Berry, the chief executive of BAFTA, and introduced to a line up including Jon Moynihan, the president of the Royal Albert Hall, Jane Lush, chair of BAFTA, and Barbara Broccoli, vice president film at BAFTA.

Baftas 2017
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge meet with BAFTA representatives as they attend the 70th EE British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) at the Royal Albert Hall AFP/Getty Images

Prince William, who has been President of the Academy since February 2010, will present The Fellowship, the highest accolade bestowed by the Academy, given to an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, television or games.

This year's recipient is celebrated US comedian Mel Brooks.

The Duke and Duchess will stay for the duration of the two-and a-half hour event which is being broadcast live on BBC1.

Baftas 2017
The royal couple took their seats joining an audience of nominees including Meryl Streep, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone AFP/Getty Images

EE British Academy Film Awards 2017 - full list of nominations

BEST FILM

ARRIVAL Dan Levine, Shawn Levy, David Linde, Aaron Ryder

I, DANIEL BLAKE Rebecca O'Brien

LA LA LAND Fred Berger, Jordan Horowitz, Marc Platt

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Lauren Beck, Matt Damon, Chris Moore, Kimberly Steward,Kevin J. Walsh

MOONLIGHT Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski

OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM

AMERICAN HONEY Andrea Arnold, Lars Knudsen, Pouya Shahbazian, Jay Van Hoy

DENIAL Mick Jackson, Gary Foster, Russ Krasnoff, David Hare

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM David Yates, J.K. Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram

I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach, Rebecca O'Brien, Paul Laverty

NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney, Mike Brett, Jo-Jo Ellison, Steve Jamison

UNDER THE SHADOW Babak Anvari, Emily Leo, Oliver Roskill, Lucan Toh

OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER

The Girl With All the Gifts: MIKE CAREY (Writer), CAMILLE GATIN (Producer)

The Hard Stop: GEORGE AMPONSAH (Writer/Director/Producer), DIONNE WALKER (Writer/Producer)

Notes on Blindness: PETER MIDDLETON (Writer/Director/Producer), JAMES SPINNEY (Writer/Director), JO-JO ELLISON (Producer)

The Pass: JOHN DONNELLY (Writer), BEN A. WILLIAMS (Director)

Under the Shadow: BABAK ANVARI (Writer/Director), EMILY LEO, OLIVER ROSKILL, LUCAN TOH (Producers)

FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

DHEEPAN Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux

JULIETA Pedro Almodóvar

MUSTANG Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Charles Gillibert

SON OF SAUL László Nemes, Gábor Sipos

TONI ERDMANN Maren Ade, Janine Jackowski

DOCUMENTARY

13TH Ava DuVernay

THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK- THE TOURING YEARS Ron Howard

THE EAGLE HUNTRESS Otto Bell, Stacey Reiss

NOTES ON BLINDNESS Peter Middleton, James Spinney

WEINER Josh Kriegman, Elyse Steinberg

ANIMATED FILM

FINDING DORY Andrew Stanton

KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS Travis Knight

MOANA Ron Clements, John Musker

ZOOTROPOLIS Byron Howard, Rich Moore

DIRECTOR

ARRIVAL Denis Villeneuve

I, DANIEL BLAKE Ken Loach

LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Tom Ford

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

HELL OR HIGH WATER Taylor Sheridan

I, DANIEL BLAKE Paul Laverty

LA LA LAND Damien Chazelle

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Kenneth Lonergan

MOONLIGHT Barry Jenkins

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

ARRIVAL Eric Heisserer

HACKSAW RIDGE Robert Schenkkan, Andrew Knight

HIDDEN FIGURES Theodore Melfi, Allison Schroeder

LION Luke Davies

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Tom Ford

LEADING ACTOR

ANDREW GARFIELD Hacksaw Ridge

CASEY AFFLECK Manchester by the Sea

JAKE GYLLENHAAL Nocturnal Animals

RYAN GOSLING La La Land

VIGGO MORTENSEN Captain Fantastic

LEADING ACTRESS

AMY ADAMS Arrival

EMILY BLUNT The Girl on the Train

EMMA STONE La La Land

MERYL STREEP Florence Foster Jenkins

NATALIE PORTMAN Jackie

SUPPORTING ACTOR

AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON Nocturnal Animals

DEV PATEL Lion

HUGH GRANT Florence Foster Jenkins

JEFF BRIDGES Hell or High Water

MAHERSHALA ALI Moonlight

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

HAYLEY SQUIRES I, Daniel Blake

MICHELLE WILLIAMS Manchester by the Sea

NAOMIE HARRIS Moonlight

NICOLE KIDMAN Lion

VIOLA DAVIS Fences

ORIGINAL MUSIC

ARRIVAL Jóhann Jóhannsson

JACKIE Mica Levi

LA LA LAND Justin Hurwitz

LION Dustin O'Halloran, Hauschka

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Abel Korzeniowski

CINEMATOGRAPHY

ARRIVAL Bradford Young

HELL OR HIGH WATER Giles Nuttgens

LA LA LAND Linus Sandgren

LION Greig Fraser

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Seamus McGarvey

EDITING

ARRIVAL Joe Walker

HACKSAW RIDGE John Gilbert

LA LA LAND Tom Cross

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA Jennifer Lame

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Joan Sobel

PRODUCTION DESIGN

DOCTOR STRANGE John Bush, Charles Wood

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Stuart Craig, Anna Pinnock

HAIL, CAESAR! Jess Gonchor, Nancy Haigh

LA LA LAND Sandy Reynolds-Wasco, David Wasco

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Shane Valentino, Meg Everist

COSTUME

DESIGNALLIED Joanna Johnston

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Colleen Atwood

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Consolata Boyle

JACKIE Madeline Fontaine

LA LA LAND Mary Zophres

MAKE UP & HAIR

DOCTOR STRANGE Jeremy Woodhead

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS J. Roy Helland, Daniel Phillips

HACKSAW RIDGE Shane Thomas

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS Donald Mowat, Yolanda Toussieng

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Nominees tbc

SOUND

ARRIVAL Claude La Haye, Bernard Gariépy Strobl, Sylvain Bellemare

DEEPWATER HORIZON Mike Prestwood Smith, Dror Mohar, Wylie Stateman, David Wyman

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Niv Adiri, Glenn Freemantle, Simon Hayes, Andy Nelson, Ian Tapp

HACKSAW RIDGE Peter Grace, Robert Mackenzie, Kevin O'Connell, Andy Wright

LA LA LAND Mildred Iatrou Morgan, Ai-Ling Lee, Steve A. Morrow, Andy Nelson

SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS

ARRIVAL Louis Morin

DOCTOR STRANGE Richard Bluff, Stephane Ceretti, Paul Corbould, Jonathan Fawkner

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Tim Burke, Pablo Grillo, Christian Manz, David Watkins

THE JUNGLE BOOK Robert Legato, Dan Lemmon, Andrew R. Jones, Adam Valdez

ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY Neil Corbould, Hal Hickel, Mohen Leo, John Knoll, Nigel Sumner

BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION

THE ALAN DIMENSION Jac Clinch, Jonathan Harbottle, Millie Marsh

A LOVE STORY Khaled Gad, Anushka Kishani Naanayakkara, Elena Ruscombe-King

TOUGH Jennifer Zheng

BRITISH SHORT FILM

CONSUMED Richard John Seymour

HOME Shpat Deda, Afolabi Kuti, Daniel Mulloy, Scott O'Donnell

MOUTH OF HELL Bart Gavigan, Samir Mehanovic, Ailie Smith, Michael Wilson

THE PARTY Farah Abushwesha, Emmet Fleming, Andrea Harkin, Conor MacNeill

STANDBY Charlotte Regan, Jack Hannon

EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)

ANYA TAYLOR-JOY

LAIA COSTA

LUCAS HEDGES

RUTH NEGGA

TOM HOLLAND