Prince William hints at Kate's recovery is keeping him busy on the red carpet at the Baftas

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by Nika Shakhnazarova

Prince William made a personal confession during his appearance at the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday.

The Prince of Wales, 41, attended the star-studded ceremony solo while his wife, Kate Middleton, continues to recover from abdominal surgery behind closed doors.

While attending the 77th annual awards ceremony, William was asked if he was on team “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer” — a reference to the same-day-released double feature that rocked the box office last summer.

But William He told the Telegraph He has yet to watch “Barbie” as well as the other 37 films nominated in other categories because he has been busy at home.

“I did [watched] “The least I’ve ever done — with my wife was a little —” without going into details about his wife’s recovery.

“But hopefully we can catch up, and I'll make my list tonight,” he said. “I'm a big Christopher Nolan fan, so I'll be happy if he wins. I loved Oppenheimer's movie.”

The heir to the throne added: “I haven't seen Barbie yet, but I want to.”

William put on a brave face on Sunday as he walked the red carpet and rubbed elbows with Hollywood royalty, including Bradley Cooper, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Cate Blanchett, and Emma Stone.

Elsewhere during the star-studded ceremony, held at London's Royal Festival Hall, actor Michael J. Fox was given a standing ovation as he presented the award on stage.

The Back to the Future star, who has suffered from Parkinson's disease for decades, was seen getting out of his wheelchair to present the best picture award to Oppenheimer.

The father-of-three, who has been president of BAFTA since 2010, was seen sharing a friendly moment with David Beckham, who he has known for years.

While both Middleton and King Charles are dealing with their own health issues, William didn't let his family's problems affect his mood during the awards ceremony.

According to senior body language expert Darren Stanton, the Prince of Wales appeared “confident” and was unfazed by the attention he was receiving.

“Despite not having Kate by his side, William was in a comfortable emotional state,” Stanton said. He added: “He also spent a lot of time speaking to the public, where he showed great eye contact and was happy to shake hands, which is a violation of royal protocol.”

“This is something we have never seen the late Queen do before,” he added. “William clearly wants a more relaxed monarchy and wants to be part of the people.”

As for the Princess of Wales, she is recovering steadily and is not expected to return to royal duties until after Easter.