Prince William Admits He Is 'Not in a Calm State' During BAFTA Ambush Interview: Strained Relationship With Harry, Ex-Prince Andrew to Blame?

While attending the BAFTA FILM awards that recently took place last Sunday, Prince William admitted that he is not 'in a calm state' at the moment.

At the red carpet, he was asked whether he had watched the historical drama . William replied candidly, 'I need to be in quite a calm state, and I'm not at the moment. I will save it.'

A very infrequent admission from a man who rarely offers glimpses into his state of mind at public events, the comment has sparked questions of whether the future King is distressed about the recent events that have shaken the Royal Family from the inside out.

The comment came just three days after his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested and the continued estrangement with brother Prince Harry.

BAFTA Marked His First Appearance Since Andrew's Arrest

The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the ceremony at London's Royal Festival Hall on 22 February 2026. William has served as president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010, and the event marked Catherine's return after a three-year absence while undergoing cancer treatment.

The backdrop was far from routine. On 19 February, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known publicly as Prince Andrew, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his past role as UK trade envoy. It was later reported that the investigation is related to the alleged sharing of documents between Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein himself.

Andrew was later released under investigation and denies wrongdoing.

William and Catherine issued a brief statement through a spokesperson saying they were 'deeply concerned by the continuing revelations' and that their thoughts remained with the victims. Buckingham Palace said King Charles would cooperate fully with authorities, adding that 'the law must take its course.'

Against that context, William's admission that he was 'not in a calm state' was widely interpreted as unusually personal.

A Separate Rift With Harry

Alongside the Andrew developments, William's long-standing rift with Prince Harry continues to draw attention.

Recent excerpts from royal biographies and interviews have revisited 2016 as a turning point in the brothers' relationship, following Harry's public statement in defence of Meghan Markle against media scrutiny. Russell Myers, whose book William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story will be out in March, described that period as marking a visible cooling between the siblings.

Subsequent events, including the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey and Harry's 2023 memoir, deepened tensions. According to claims in the book, William was angered by some of the claims made about the family and chose to distance himself.

Attempts at reconciliation have been reported, including outreach in 2023 via an intermediary, but that effort reportedly did not lead to renewed contact. The brothers were last seen at the same event in 2024, but did not appear to interact publicly.

'Catherine has been described as a calming presence during periods of heightened emotion. 'Her attitude was consistently "this will pass." Whenever William would get riled up about it, she would calm the situation down and bring him back to what mattered most to them. That is their family and what they are doing,' Meyers told People.

Meanwhile, at BAFTA, William went on to present the Fellowship award and engage with nominees and industry figures as planned.

Whether his comment was tied to immediate events or to longer-running family divisions, the remark has added to the discussion of the challenges the Royal Family faces at the moment, especially for the future monarch.