Why Prince William and Kate skipped King Charles' pre-Christmas lunch
Many royals were seen out on December 19Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, didn’t attend King Charles‘ pre-Christmas lunch on December 19.
His Majesty, 76, was seen arriving for the lunch at Buckingham Palace on Thursday alongside Queen Camilla and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
However, William, 42, and Kate, 42, weren’t there and there’s a good reason as to why.
Why Prince William and Kate weren’t at King Charles’ pre-Christmas lunch
According to reports, the Prince and Princess of Wales are already in Norfolk with their three children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.
The royal family usually spend Christmas at Sandringham in Norfolk.
A royal source claimed that it had been planned for Prince William and Kate to be in Norfolk already. It’s said they’re looking forward to spending time with the rest of the family at Sandringham over the festive period.
Meanwhile, the palace lunch was a private event for senior royals and their wider family.
Royal family’s festive lunch at Buckingham Palace
On Thursday, other members of the royal family attended the lunch. Princess Eugenie, husband Jack Brooksbank and their eldest son August, three, arrived by car.
Meanwhile, Eugenie’s older sister Princess Beatrice – pregnant with her second baby – attended with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
Edoardo’s son from a previous relationship, Christopher ‘Wolfie’ Woolf, also attended with them.
Elsewhere, Princess Anne attended with her husband Sir Timothy Laurence as well as the king’s second cousin Lady Gabriella Windsor and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
Prince Michael of Kent is the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin.
How the royal family spends Christmas
Have you ever wondered exactly how the royal family spends Christmas? Well, former royal butler Paul Burrell has shared an insight into the royals’ Christmas Day.
The machine doesn’t stop just because it’s Christmas.
Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Paul Burrell revealed: “Christmas itself and the logistics of taking a dozen or more staff with you and for them to be having Christmas with you in your house is quite daunting.
“It’s not just the royals’ Christmas, it’s also everyone else’s Christmas who are there in the house including the chefs, butlers, maids, and private secretaries. The machine doesn’t stop just because it’s Christmas.”
Royals enjoy ‘traditional’ turkey dinner
Discussing what Christmas dinner the royals like to enjoy, Paul added: “They have turkey, it’s tradition. The chef comes into the dining room and carves the turkey at a buffet.
“Then the turkey is plated and put in front of the royals. They have the traditional trimmings, sprouts, carrots, all the trimmings that go with it. They have Christmas pudding of course, then the chef disappears and the head butler takes over.
Read more: Every royal family member set to miss King Charles’ Christmas celebrations at Sandringham
“He has to make sure the brandy is the right temperature and will set it alight; they switch the lights down. He walks around the table with the flaming pudding.
“They have Christmas crackers on the table, again, months in preparation. The king will have chosen what’s inside the crackers, as they’re custom made.”
Paul was the late Princess Diana’s butler for 10 years before her death in 1997.
How do you like to spend Christmas? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial.
