Prince William and Gene Hackman (Image: Getty)
The has paid tribute to actor Gene Hackman after at their home on Wednesday.
, who is president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), took to social media on Thursday afternoon to post a personally signed message following the latest devastating news about the actor’s death.
In a post on X, the future King wrote: “So sad to hear the news of the death of Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy.
“Hackman was a true genius of film who brought each and every character to life with power, authenticity and star quality. W.”
The 95-year-old was found dead, along with his wife and their dog, in different rooms of their house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on Wednesday.
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Prince William is president of the BAFTA (Image: Getty)
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Officials said they appeared to have been dead for some time.
The Oscar winner was found in a mudroom while his Betsy Arakawa, 63, was found dead in a bathroom next to a space heater, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office detectives wrote in a search warrant. They had been married since 1991.
There was an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on a countertop near the actor’s wife, according to the Associated Press.
However, the UK’s Press Association reported that the police said it is currently an active investigation but they do not believe that foul play was a factor at this time.
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Law enforcement officials talk outside the home of actor (Image: AP)
A police statement shared with the news agency said: “On February 26 2025 at approximately 1.45pm, Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Old Sunset Trail in Hyde Park where Gene Hackman, 95, and his wife Betsy Arakawa, 64, and a dog were found deceased.
“Foul play is not suspected as a factor in those deaths at this time – however, exact cause of death has not been determined. This is an active and ongoing investigation by the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office.”
star Hackman received two Oscars, two Baftas, four Golden Globes and a Screen Actors Guild Award in an acting career which spanned six decades.
Apart from , Bafta were among those to pay tribute to Hackman, describing him as a “much-celebrated actor” who had an “illustrious career”.