The Likely Reason King Charles' Traditional Christmas Lunch Had Two Notable No-Shows
Two prominent members of the royal family recently skipped out on a Christmas celebration fit for a king –– literally. On December 20, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla hosted a Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle, per Hello! Magazine. It should come as a surprise to no one that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, along with their children, Archie and Lilibet, were not in attendance. Not only do the Duke and Duchess of Sussex currently reside out of the country in Santa Barbara, California, but they have a desire to lay low and stay out of the public eye –– especially in the wake of their recent docuseries on Netflix, "Harry & Meghan" (via PopSugar).
While King Charles III couldn't have been blindsided to host his Christmas lunch sans his youngest son and his wife, there were absences from the guest list that may have taken some folks by surprise. According to the Daily Express, this holiday gathering was thought to be the largest royal family event since Queen Elizabeth's funeral. Even so, the next in line to the throne was notably absent. William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales didn't attend.
Where were William and Kate?
Like his brother, Prince William steered clear of his dad's Christmas brunch, as did Kate Middleton and their children, Prince George of Wales, Princess Charlotte of Wales, and Prince Louis of Wales. Per the Daily Express, the family of five was expected to be in attendance, and it's not known for certain why they didn't ultimately show up. According to Hello! Magazine, though, many are speculating that William and Kate took their children to their home in Norfolk, Anmer Hall instead. The family usually spends their holidays there, as it minimizes their need for holiday travel. Anmer Hall is near Sandringham estate, which is where the royal family usually celebrates the holidays as it was one of Queen Elizabeth's Christmas traditions. Since King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla have verified that they'll be hosting the holiday festivities at Sandringham, the Duke and Duchess of Wales are likely already nearby.
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla weren't left alone for their celebration, however. They were joined by plenty of guests, including Princess Anne and Timothy Laurence, as well as Prince Edward, Sophie Wessex, and their daughter, Lady Louise. Regardless of why exactly William and Kate skipped out on the Christmas lunch, they'll most likely be spending the holidays with the royal family. Even so, the royal family drama certainly seems to be heating up, and just in time for King Charles III's history-making coronation. This is even more riveting than Netflix's "The Crown."