Prince William and Princess Kate’s ‘tension’ laid bare in joint BAFTAs appearance after Andrew arrest scandal

William’s uncle Andrew was arrested last week

rince William and Kate Middleton reportedly showed signs of “anxiety” at the 2026 BAFTAs, according to a body language expert.

It’s been a dramatic few weeks for the royals amid the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal. Last week, William’s uncle, Andrew, was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The specific details of the allegations of misconduct being investigated are unknown. Hours after his arrest, he was released under investigation.

However, it was business as usual for William, 43, and Kate, 44, as this weekend. The couple attended the 2026 BAFTAs together – the first time in three years.

But according to a body language expert, the current strains upon the royal family were clear to see…

An expert noticed their lack of touch (Credit: SplashNews.com)

William and Kate make BAFTAs appearance

On Sunday (February 22) the BAFTAs took place at London’s Royal Festival Hall. As well as several famous faces being in attendance, royals William and Kate also made an appearance.

On the red carpet, Kate oozed style and glamour in a Gucci purple dress. She wore her famous chocolate locks in lush bouncy waves. William, meanwhile, looked both dapper and handsome in a burgundy velvet suit.

Nonetheless, a body language expert has picked up on ‘signs’ that could indicate just how much the Andrew scandal is affecting the family.

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Judi James told HELLO!: “William and Kate delivered their usual, impeccable red carpet A-list glamour here, but there are a handful of tells that might reflect the undeniable tensions of the past week.”

The couple showed signs of tension apparently (Credit: CoverImages.com)

Prince and Princess ‘anxious’ at BAFTAs

The expert went on to note that Kate and William walked side by side with their “arms hanging loose at their sides”.

She then suggested that there could be a “desire” to “clasp hands” to “support each other,” similarly to how they have done at past events like the BAFTAs.

However, Judi then shared that there could be a sign of stress for the couple due to their lack of touch at the event.

“Instead of touching, though, we can see the fingers of William’s right hand slightly curled so that his index finger touches his thumb, hinting at a self-soothe ritual,” she explained.

The future king apparently appeared stressed too. Judi pointed out moments “where his lips are pulled inward and his brows pulled into a small frown, suggesting some anxiety”.

As for Kate, Judi said: “Kate’s smiles are as impeccable as usual, although there is a very slightly edge-to-edge placing of the teeth, which again could signal inner tension.”

Why was Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested?

On February 19, 2026, Andrew was arrested by police on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The specific details of the allegations of misconduct being investigated are unknown.

He was released hours later under investigation. Scrutiny has been mounting over Andrew’s association with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein following the recent release of millions of files relating to the disgraced financier last month.

Andrew was accused of sharing sensitive and confidential information with Epstein about his official work as a UK trade envoy. Under official guidance, trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive, commercial, or political information about their official visits.

Andrew has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein. This arrest should not be seen as any indication of guilt and there are no charges yet.

He served as a UK trade envoy between 2001 and 2011. In 2010, Andrew allegedly forwarded official reports from trade visits to Epstein, according to the files.