The Prince and Princess of Wales were notably absent from today’s annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, having already begun their festive holiday in Norfolk.
The royal couple, along with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, had been expected to attend the traditional family gathering.
A royal source confirmed the Wales family are already settled in Norfolk as planned and are looking forward to spending time with the rest of the Royal Family at Sandringham over the Christmas period.
The decision to skip the event is part of Kate and William prioritising spending time with their children while they have time off from school.
The royal couple opted to spend time with their children in Norfolk rather than attending the royal pre-Christmas lunch.
Getty
The festive gathering at Buckingham Palace typically brings together around 70 members of the King’s extended family.
The annual lunch offers relatives a chance to catch up, particularly those who won’t be joining the main Christmas Day celebrations at Sandringham.
King Charles was seen arriving at the palace earlier today to make final preparations for his guests.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Edward and Sophie, were also spotted entering the palace for the celebration.
This year’s event marks a return to Buckingham Palace, after being held at Windsor Castle for the past two years.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were notably absent from today’s annual pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, having already begun their festive holiday in Norfolk.
Getty
The Wales family have made their home at Anmer Hall, their country retreat on the Sandringham estate, where they traditionally spend school holidays.
It is understood the decision to skip today’s palace lunch had been made some time ago by the couple.
Despite missing the pre-Christmas gathering, William, Kate and their children are expected to join the wider Royal Family at Sandringham next week.
The move to Norfolk comes at the end of what has been a challenging year for the Waleses.
The Royal Family will maintain their traditional Christmas morning walk to church at Sandringham, with the Wales family expected to participate.
The Princess of Wales has been gradually returning to royal duties in recent months, following the completion of her chemotherapy treatment.
LATEST ROYAL NEWS:
The Princess of Wales has been gradually returning to royal duties in recent months, following the completion of her chemotherapy treatment.
Getty
At her recent Christmas Carol Concert at Westminster Abbey, Kate reflected on her challenging year, telling singer Paloma Faith: “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year I’ve just had.”
When Faith responded about “the unplanned”, Kate agreed, adding: “The unplanned, exactly. But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times.”
In September, the princess released a personal video announcing the completion of her chemotherapy treatment, expressing her commitment to remaining “cancer free”.
