The Prince and Princess of Wales skipped the Buckingham Palace pre-Christmas meal today, surprising admirers.
According to Mirror, the couple and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, were due to attend the annual event. The family said they would miss the luncheon shortly before it began.
The royal family is in Norfolk as scheduled and looking forward to Christmas with the rest of the royal family in Sandringham, according to a royal source. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were present when Prince Andrew was away amid the scandal surrounding his association with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo.
After breaking up for Christmas from Lambrook on December 13, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis are reported to have immediately traveled to Anmer Hall, their beloved Sandringham estate hideaway. But the family's absence from the Buckingham Palace lunch has raised eyebrows, especially as Prince William, a potential ruler, has attended such large royal functions for years.
However, per Express, a Kensington Palace source told the Telegraph: "The decision not to attend the lunch was made some time ago."
It also meant the King didn't have either of his sons at the Palace, though the Waleses will celebrate Christmas with King Charles and Queen Camilla next week.
Some believed the couple's decision was related to Prince Andrew's contact with a suspected spy. The sources quickly clarified that Prince Andrew had already opted to skip the occasion.
Despite missing today's party, the Waleses released their Christmas card, featuring a nice family photo. The image is from Princess Kate's September video announcing her chemotherapy treatment had concluded and she was "doing what I can to stay cancer-free." Prince William and Princess Kate hold their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The princess spoke about her cancer battle over photographs of the Waleses and their children wandering through woodlands and hugging as they hold hands in Norfolk. The year had been "incredibly tough for us as a family," and the "cancer journey is complex, scary, and unpredictable for everyone," giving her a "new perspective on everything." The card reads, "Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year".
For the previous two years, King Charles has held the pre-Christmas party at Windsor Castle, but today he is back at Buckingham Palace, where the late Queen often hosted lunch. The King went into the palace before the party to prepare for his guests.
Prince Andrew missed the occasion, as reported. The embattled royal will leave the party over his ties with alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo. Also present were his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Princess Eugenie appeared with Jack Brooksbank, while pregnant Princess Beatrice sat in the passenger seat as husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi drove them to the party.
Prince Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson encouraged him to be low-profile and avoid the Palace event. To avoid embarrassing the King, the former couple will stay at Royal Lodge on Christmas Day rather than travel to Sandringham with the family.
After Princess Kate's cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy, and the King's illness treatment, the royal family will have a very difficult Christmas.
Business Times has reached out to Buckingham Palace for comments.
