The "Awkward" Royal Family Easter Rule Kate Middleton Broke in 2018 Involving Queen Elizabeth II

Kate Middleton and Prince William won't be attending the Royal Family's Easter service this year. Instead, Princess Kate is reportedly trading her Easter Sunday hat for skinny jeans as she spends quality time with her three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—at their country home, Anmer Hall. While the Princess of Wales won't be in attendance at the annual church service, she apparently caused a mild furore during her appearance at the same event in 2018.

There was reportedly an "awkward moment" when Princess Kate arrived at the Easter Sunday service on April 1, 2018, alongside Prince William, according to the Express. As noted by the outlet, Kate—who was pregnant with her third child, Louis, at the time—arrived at the service late. This would have been viewed as a faux pas, as members of the Royal Family are supposed to arrive at any event in order of how senior their roles are, with the monarch being the last person to arrive.

"The Royal Family are scheduled to arrive at any large-scale event ahead of the monarch owing to strict rules around seniority and precedence," the Express reported. It remains unclear whether the late Queen was upset about her grandson and his wife arriving late at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. As Prince Louis was born on April 23, 2018, around three weeks after Easter, it's highly likely Princess Kate had a valid excuse for her lateness.

For the occasion, the Princess of Wales wore a chocolate brown coat by one of her favorite designers, Catherine Walker, with a matching Lock & Co. hat.

Discussing Kate and William's decision to skip the Easter Sunday service in 2025, a source told Us Weekly, "This is a big deal." The source further alleged, "It's royal tradition for the family to attend this together. 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. It feels like a deliberate move and even a snub."