Prince William and Princess Kate's decision to forgo the Royal Family's traditional Easter Sunday service at Windsor Castle in favor of a private gathering with the Middleton family has sparked internal unease, with one insider saying the move "raised eyebrows" at the palace.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by their children-Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6-chose to attend a low-key church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, near their country residence at Anmer Hall. The family was joined by Kate's parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, for what observers described as an intimate Easter weekend away from the public spotlight.
According to The Mirror, the couple's absence from the royal family's central Easter celebration at St George's Chapel in Windsor-an annual fixture in the royal calendar-was unexpected. "They are choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school," a source told the outlet.
However, their decision has drawn scrutiny. "This move by the Waleses raised eyebrows at the Palace," a royal insider told Us Weekly. "Everyone understood the family not attending last year when Kate was sick, but there's been a lot of raised eyebrows at the Palace about William's decision to skip again this year."
Kate's recent health issues have factored into the family's public absence. In 2024, she stepped away from royal duties after revealing her battle with an undisclosed form of cancer. Though her treatment was ongoing last year, her current condition has not been publicly updated.
An eyewitness told the Daily Mail that the family was seen at the Sandringham church's 11 a.m. service, with Kate wearing a camel coat and trilby hat, and William in a dark suit. Canon Paul Williams, the vicar, was seen handing out hot cross buns to the family as they exited via a back entrance to avoid waiting crowds.
The couple's retreat, Anmer Hall, has long served as their preferred residence during school holidays. Given to the couple by Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift, the 10-bedroom Georgian estate underwent a £1.5 million renovation and is often described as a peaceful sanctuary.
"We spend as much time as we can here, it's very peaceful," William previously said on Apple's Time to Walk series.
Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla led the royal delegation at Windsor's Easter service, joined by Princess Anne and Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, their son James, Earl of Wessex, and the Duke of York with Sarah Ferguson. Lady Louise Windsor, daughter of Edward and Sophie, was notably absent, reportedly tied up with university exam commitments at St Andrews.
