King Charles is hosting a number of royal family members at Buckingham Palace for a pre-Christmas lunch today – but William and Kate, along with their children, will not be attending
The Prince and Princess of Wales surprised fans on Thursday with the news they will not be attending the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.
The couple were expected to attend the annual celebration along with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. But just a short time before the luncheon was due to start, it was revealed that the family would be skipping the event.
A royal source told PA that the family are already in Norfolk, as had been planned, and are looking forward to spending time with the rest of the royal family in Sandringham over Christmas. A Kensington Palace source told the Telegraph: “The decision not to attend the lunch was made some time ago.”
George, Charlotte, and Louis broke up for their Christmas holidays from Lambrook on 13 December and it is thought the family immediately travelled to Anmer Hall, their much-loved country retreat on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
But the family’s absence from the Buckingham Palace lunch has nevertheless raised eyebrows – not least because, as future monarch, William usually attends such big royal events – and has done so for a number of years.
It also means that the King won’t have either of his sons with him at the Palace – although the Waleses will be celebrating Christmas with Charles and Queen Camilla just next week.
It has been speculated in some quarters that the couple’s decision was somehow linked to Prince Andrew and the furore surrounding his relationship with an alleged spy. But sources have been quick to shut that down, noting that Andrew has already decided to stay away from the event.
For the past two years, King Charles has held the pre-Christmas party at Windsor Castle but it has returned to be held at Buckingham Palace today, where the late Queen nearly always hosted the lunch.
Earlier, the King was seen heading into the palace ahead of the party to make final preparations for his guests. He was followed by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie.
As previously revealed, Prince Andrew is also set to miss the event. The beleaguered royal will no longer join the party amid the ongoing furore over his relationship with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo .
Andrew has decided to stay away from the festivities this year in light of his latest scandal. It is understood it was his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson who advised him to keep a low-profile and stay away from the Palace soiree. Furthermore, the former couple have decided to remain at their home in Royal Lodge on Christmas Day, rather than travel to Sandringham with the rest of the family, to avoid further embarrassing the King.
It will be an especially poignant Christmas for the royal family, marking the the end of a highly challenging year for the family following Kate’s cancer diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy treatment, as well as the King’s own ongoing cancer treatment.
