'Why' Kate Middleton and Prince William broke unwritten 'royal rule' at Easter service with Queen Elizabeth II
Each year, the royals attend an Easter serviceKate Middleton and Prince William once appeared to break an unwritten royal rule as they attended an Easter service with Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2018, members of the royal family attended the annual Easter church service. Usually, members of the royal family would arrive at events in order of rank with the monarch typically being last.
However, in 2018, this wasn’t the case as William and Kate arrived after the late queen for the service.
Why Kate Middleton and Prince William arrived late for Easter service with Queen Elizabeth II
At the time, the queen arrived and was greeted outside the church. Each of her family members took their turn to curtsy or bow.
But Prince William and Kate were fashionably late as they arrived in their car after as the service had began. According to reports at the time, their lateness was due to them getting stuck in traffic.
Kate was also heavily pregnant with the couple’s third child, Prince Louis. The service took place on April 1 and Louis was born on April 23 of that year.
Did Kate Middleton go to church on Easter?
Each year, members of the royal family attend a church service to mark Easter. This year, Kate is expected to attend alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales.
Last year, the king and queen attended the service alongside other members of the family. However, the Prince and Princess of Wales weren’t in attendance.
Just days earlier, Kate had announced her cancer diagnosis publicly to the world. She took a break from royal duties as she underwent treatment.
The previous year in 2023, William and Kate attended the Easter service with all three of their children.
In 2022, William and Kate attended the service with their two eldest children – Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, nine.
Latest on Princess Kate’s cancer
After a tough 2024, the Princess of Wales is getting back to her royal duties after finishing her cancer treatment.
In September last year, Kate announced the end of her treatment. Then, in January 2025, the princess announced she was in remission with her cancer.
Read more: Kate Middleton broke tradition on her wedding day to Prince William with iconic look
She said earlier this year: “It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.”
Kate has been making a return to duties this year, slowly and surely, as she continues to prioritise her health.
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