Prince William snubs Hollywood after King Charles officially passes on the torch by dishing out royal title to new prince

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It’s a busy time in Kensington Palace, with reports emerging that Prince William is forgoing a Hollywood event while his father, King Charles, is doling out new royal titles. 

It’s a hectic itinerary, so let me break it down for you. The royal family has confirmed that after the death of Prince Karim Al-Hussaini last week, King Charles has granted his successor, Prince Rahim Al-Hussaini, the title of “His Highness.” As a refresher, Karim Al-Hussaini was a business magnate and the leader of millions of Ismaili Muslims, which afforded him the title of Prince as well as that of Aga Khan IV, meaning the spiritual leader of the followers of that branch of Shia Islam. 

In the wake of his passing at the age of 88, Karim will be succeeded by his son, Rahim, who has now become Aga Khan V. While he inherited that title organically, he has now also been bestowed with “His Highness” by King Charles, who was a close friend of Rahim’s father. That bestowal continues the long-running tradition first performed by Queen Elizabeth II in 1957 when she granted the title to Karim after the death of his father. 

As for the connection between the two families and the royal element of being an Aga Khan, both Charles and Elizabeth grew close to Karim due to his owning and breeding of racehorses. The late Queen’s horse, named Estimate, was given to her as an 80th birthday gift by Karim, and it would go on to win the Royal Ascot Gold Cup in 2013. The Al-Hussaini family has been royal-adjacent ever since, and are treated as a head of state as direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad. 

According to a social media post shared by the royal family, King Charles was “pleased” to grant his late friend’s son the title of His Highness “in accordance with long-standing tradition.” While his father was busy granting new titles, Prince William made moves in the entertainment world, with Kensington Palace announcing that the Prince of Wales will attend the London Screen Academy. While that visit, which was reported by royal expert Rebecca English, will see Prince William “shine a spotlight on the next generation of UK filmmakers,” he will not extend the same spotlight to the glitzier, more star-studded BAFTAs ceremony. 

“[William] will not be attending this weekend’s BAFTAS,” English wrote, adding that the royal will instead appear during the awards show “as part of a video package.” It’s not yet known why William — who was appointed as president of the British Academy of Film & Television Arts back in 2010 — is skipping the event, but it’s thought his wife, Kate Middleton, will also be absent. In any case, William’s attendance at the ceremony, which takes place on Feb. 16, has been scattershot over the years. 

He also skipped the BAFTAs in 2021 after his grandfather, Prince Phillip, suddenly passed away, and in 2022, he wasn’t present due to “diary constraints.” Last year, the Prince flew solo at the event as Middleton recovered from her planned abdominal surgery. William’s upcoming absence will mean he’ll miss this year’s batch of BAFTA-nominated stars and films, from Best Film nominees like Anora and The Brutalist to acting nods for the likes of Ariana Grande (for Wicked), and Sebastian Stan (for The Apprentice). 

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