Princess Kate Middleton and Prince William will allegedly not go to the annual Easter church service at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor — an event traditionally attended by all key members of the royal family, including William’s recuperating father King Charles III.
The Mirror and HELLO! reported on Thursday, April 17, that Kate, 43, and William, 42, would not be joining other royals for the Sunday, April 20, holiday at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. Instead, a source told the outlet that the couple are “choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school.”
“This is a big deal,” a source exclusively told Us Weekly. “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.”
Last year, the family’s Easter celebrations were altered due to Charles and Kate’s cancer battles. Kate, William and the couple’s three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, were noticeably absent from the church service in March 2024. At the time, Kate had taken a step back from her public duties after being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier that year.
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Royal watchers have followed King Charles III’s health battle after he was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer in February 2024. “During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read at the time. “Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form […]
Meanwhile, Charles, 76, attended the 2024 Easter church service but was isolated from the main congregation to ensure his well-being as he also battled an undisclosed form of cancer, which was discovered earlier in the year. He chose not to participate in the post-service reception and family lunch, but he briefly greeted the public outside of the church.
In addition to Charles and Camilla Prince Andrew, Duchess Sarah Ferguson, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie were among the royals who stepped out for the Easter service in 2024. Charles’ estranged younger son Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — based in Montecito, Calif., are not expected to attend.
More recently, Charles and Kate have both offered updates on their health amid their cancer journeys. Kate, for her part, revealed in a September 2024 social media post that she had completed chemotherapy. Then, in January, she wrote via Instagram that her cancer was in remission.
“It is a relief to now be in remission,” she noted. “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.”
Related: Kate Middleton’s Cancer Battle Timeline: From Diagnosis to Remission
Princess Kate Middleton chose to address her ongoing cancer battle in her own time. Kate’s last official public appearance before taking a break was in December 2023. One month later, Kensington Palace confirmed that Kate wouldn’t be involved in any royal engagements until after April at the earliest due to a planned abdominal surgery. “The […]
She added: “I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
As for Charles, he was briefly hospitalized in March due to side effects of his cancer treatment.
“Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer this morning, The King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read. “His Majesty’s afternoon engagements were, therefore, postponed.”
The palace confirmed at the time that Charles had returned to Clarence House to recover and his engagements the following day would be rescheduled “as a precautionary measure.” He ultimately resumed his public duties on April 1.
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