The royal holiday season is in full swing, and with The King's annual pre-Christmas lunch taking place on Thursday, Dec. 19, fans are usually treated to glimpses of the Royal Family as they arrive at Buckingham Palace. This year, however, Prince William, Kate Middleton and their family have made the surprising move to opt out of the festive gathering.
According to multiple outlets, the couple—who are parents to Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—decided to skip the traditional lunch party and make an early escape to their country home, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk, England.
The Wales family retreat is located 117 miles from Buckingham Palace (roughly a three-and-a-half-hour drive), making it just a tad far to attend Thursday's event. However, since Anmer Hall is situated on the Sandringham estate, it's just a short drive away when it comes to the Royal Family's Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations.
Although Prince William and family didn't attend The King's lunch, roughly 70 members of the Royal Family were there, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, and Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, along with many lesser-known extended relatives.
Prince George and Princess Charlotte, pictured at the 2024 Together at Christmas carol concert, are enjoying quiet time in the countryside this Christmas.
Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie also attended along with their respective husbands, putting on a united front as their father, Prince Andrew, was forced to back out of the event amid his recent "Chinese spy" scandal.
As for the rest of the Wales family's plans, Prince William revealed he was looking forward to a quiet time in the country with the kids and their dog, Orla, while taking part in a recent military party. On the more chaotic side, he also shared that the Royal Family would welcome 45 people for Christmas at Sandringham, and he was excited for everyone to be "all in one room," as reported by the Sun.
The family also released their 2024 Christmas card on Thursday, featuring an old photo of the family that was featured in Princess Kate's September cancer update video.
Although fans sadly didn't get to judge whether Princess Kate's luncheon outfit made the cut for her best Christmas looks ever, there's sure to be plenty of gorgeous royal coat-watching come Christmas Day.
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