Kate Middleton’s BAFTAs Smile Couldn’t Quite Mask the 'Tension' After Ex-Prince Andrew’s Arrest

Kate Middleton and Prince William were out in full force on the red carpet at the BAFTAs on February 22 in London, but they weren’t looking like their cheerful selves.

The high-profile appearance came on the heels of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest, and it was rather awkward, according to body language expert Judi James. She described the royal couple’s walk down the red carpet to Hello!, sharing her expertise.

“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,” James explained.

While The Washington Post reported that the Prince of Wales “would have gone much further, much earlier” than his father, King Charles III, in the Andrew situation, Kate seemed to have some underlying stress from the last week.

“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,” James added.

The Princess of Wales had a right to be worried because the duo was confronted with ex-Prince Andrew’s scandal along the way. “Is the monarchy in peril?” asked one member of the press from behind the security barricades. (See the video here.)

Of course, Kate and William did not respond to the question; they continued on their merry way down the carpet – but the tense grin might have said it all as they chatted with a publicist during their stroll.

Behind the scenes, Kate was reportedly trying to keep the palace together ahead of Andrew’s arrest. She was allegedly concerned that the disgraced royal was using his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, “to stay informed and involved” in royal family business, per Closer.

“The perception is that he uses them as his eyes and ears – and, whether intentional spies or not, this is creating mistrust,” a royal source told the outlet.

The Princess of Wales’ goal is “to rebuild trust in the monarchy after years of scandal,” and Andrew’s ongoing scandal makes it hard for the palace to make any headway right now.

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Before you go, click here to looks Kate Middleton has worn on repeat.