Prince William almost in tears as royal takes to the stage at Baftas

The Prince of Wales gave a well-delivered speech at the awards

Prince William was nearly in tears at the Baftas before he took to the stage at the awards ceremony in London.

The Prince of Wales arrived at the event with his wife in their first public appearance as a couple since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

William heard British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware perform at the ceremony as she sang the In Memoriam song.

In an emotional performance, Ms Ware sang a fantastic rendition of Barbra Streisand’s The Way We Were.

The Prince of Wales was almost in tears before taking to the stage | GETTY/BBC

As she concluded her performance, the camera cut to the Prince of Wales, who appeared visibly moved.

William held back tears as he clapped the performance with watery eyes.

Not long after, the prince took to the stage, delivering a speech as part of his role as President of Bafta, where he presented the Fellowship Award to Dame Donna Langley, Chair of NBC Universal Entertainment.

Speaking to the audience, William said: “Good evening. The Bafta Fellowship is an honour given in recognition of an exceptional contribution to film. And tonight’s recipient is quite simply that: exceptional.”

The Prince of Wales gave a well-delivered speech at the award

The prince continued: “Her determination and commitment have driven her to become one of the most influential and respected figures in the entertainment industry. She was the first British woman to run a major Hollywood studio, and is now Chair of NBCUniversal Entertainment.

“Her transformative leadership and unwavering commitment to creative partnership have brought some of this century’s most iconic films to the big screen and to audiences around the world. She has championed films that have shaped culture and is responsible for some of our most beloved franchises.

“And in amongst all of this, Dame Donna Langley has maintained a strong commitment to inclusion and mentorship, founding initiatives to widen access to careers in the screen arts and supporting women in leadership. This work is crucial.

“Dame Donna has also been a tireless advocate for British talent abroad, ensuring our storytellers, performers and creators are seen, supported and celebrated on the world stage.

William with Dame Donna after presenting her with the Bafta

“Our creative industries are one of this country’s greatest strengths, and I will continue to celebrate and support the talent that makes them shine globally in my role as President of BAFTA.

“Dame Donna’s impact at NBCUniversal and on the film industry is significant. She is a shining light to all those starting out in the creative industries, showing that anything is possible.”

William handed Dame Donna the award, who then gave a speech to the packed audience of A-listers.

The moment came after the prince admitted he was not in “a calm state” just days after his uncle’s arrest.

The prince gave the speech to the packed audience of A-lister

William was speaking with Elaine Bedell, chief executive of the Southbank Centre, and Allison Kirkby, chief executive of BT Group, when he made the admission after being asked if he had seen Hamnet.

The future King said: “I need to be in quite a calm state and I’m not at the moment. I will save it.”

His comment came after admitting that his wife was “in floods of tears” after watching Hamnet, which was up for 11 Baftas.

The movie is an adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s award-winning novel about the family life of William Shakespeare and the death of his young son.

Catherine said she saw the film on Saturday, admitting that “it was a very bad idea” and “ended up with very puffy eyes”.