William and Kate skip King Charles' traditional pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace - with Duke and Duchess of York also missing festivities after Chinese 'spy' scandal
The Prince and Princess of Wales did not attend the King's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today as the wider Royal Family gathered for the annual event.
Prince William and Kate are instead said to be looking forward to spending time with members of the Royal Family as usual at the Sandringham estate over Christmas.
MailOnline understands the Waleses are already in Norfolk with their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and had always planned to be.
It has also been made clear that William and Kate's absence was in no way linked to Prince Andrew pulling out of the lunch amid the ongoing Chinese 'spy' scandal.
The confirmation from the royal source was given just before 11am, at around exactly the same time that Charles was spotted arriving at Buckingham Palace for the lunch.
Kate, who has been gradually returning to public events after revealing in September that she had finished a course of cancer treatment, was last seen with her family on December 6 at Westminster Abbey for her 'Together at Christmas' carol service.
Four days later, William said during a visit to Picton Barracks in Wiltshire that he was looking forward to but 'not ready' for Christmas and would celebrate with 45 family members at Sandringham 'all in one room', although they are 'normally spread out'.
George, Charlotte and Louis have been on their Christmas holidays since last Friday when Lambrook School near Windsor, which they all attend, closed until January 8.
King Charles III and his private secretary Sir Clive Alderton arrive at Buckingham Palace today
Queen Camilla arrives for King Charles III's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh arrive for the lunch at Buckingham Palace this morning
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive today, with their son August asleep in the back
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive at Buckingham Palace this afternoon, with Christopher 'Wolfie' Woolf (rear left), eight, who is Edoardo's son and Beatrice's stepson
William and Kate have been pictured arriving for the lunch in previous years, including 2018 and 2019. The event was not held in 2020 or 2021 because of the pandemic.
Today, King Charles arrived at the palace in a car just before 11am with his private secretary Sir Clive Alderton for the private gathering, held for senior royals and their wider family who will not be attending Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were next to arrive at about 11.20am for the lunch at the monarch's official London residence, which saw dozens of Royal Family members enjoy organic Norfolk turkey and all the trimmings.
Further arrivals were then seen from 12.30pm, including Andrew's daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie with their husbands Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank - who were there without their father or mother Sarah.
Eugenie and Jack's three-year-old son August could be seen asleep in the back of the car wearing a Santa hat.
Christopher 'Wolfie' Woolf, eight, who is Edoardo's son and Beatrice's stepson, was also seen in the back of his parents' car.
Also arriving were Queen Camilla; Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence; and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.
Others were the King's second cousin Lady Gabriella Windsor; Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma; and Lord Frederick Windsor with his wife Sophie Winkleman and their daughter Isabella.
Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence arrive this afternoon
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at Buckingham Palace for the pre-Christmas lunch today
Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma arrives at Buckingham Palace today
The Duke of Kent arrives for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel Chatto arrive at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Lady Marina Windsor (back left, hidden) Lady Amelia Windsor (back right) and the Earl of St Andrews (front right) arrive for the King's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Timothy Taylor (front left), Lady Helen Taylor (front right) and their daughters Estella and Eloise Taylor arrive for the King's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Lord Frederick Windsor (left), Lady Frederick Windsor aka Sophie Winkleman (right) and their daughter Isabella (centre) arrive for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Lord Downpatrick arrives for the King Charles III's lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Lady Davina Windsor (back) arrives for King Charles III's pre-Christmas lunch today
Samuel Chatto, the son of Lady Sarah Chatto and Daniel Chatto, arrives for the lunch today
Princess Alexandra arrives for King Charles III's pre-Christmas lunch this afternoon
Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel Chatto were there; as were Lady Marina Windsor, Lady Amelia Windsor and the Earl of St Andrews; and Timothy Taylor, Lady Helen Taylor and their daughters Estella and Eloise Taylor.
The event is designed to allow all those who don't make the cut to Sandringham - such as cousins, nieces and nephews – to celebrate with senior family members.
Andrew decided not to attend the event after speaking to his ex-wife and close friend Sarah, Duchess of York, according to a source.
The move was another embarrassing moment for the King's brother, who has already withdrawn from joining senior royals at Sandringham for the festive period.
Earlier this week, it was revealed in a High Court hearing that alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who was banned from the UK, was said to have been a 'close' confidant of Andrew.
Mr Yang, who was named after an anonymity order was lifted on Monday, has insisted it was 'entirely untrue' to claim he was involved in espionage and that he has 'done nothing wrong or unlawful'.
The businessman, previously referred to only as H6 in the legal case, was the founder-partner of the Chinese arm of the duke's Pitch@Palace initiative, and twice visited Buckingham Palace in 2018 to meet with the late Queen's second son.
Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice arrive at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Princess Eugenie arrives at Buckingham Palace today, with her son August asleep in the back
King Charles III arrives for his pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this morning
Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi arrive at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones arrives for King Charles III's pre-Christmas lunch today
Lady Sarah Chatto arrives for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Princess Eugenie arrives for the King's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Timothy Taylor (front left) and Lady Helen Taylor (front right) arrive for the King's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh arrive for the lunch at Buckingham Palace this morning
Princess Anne arrives for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma arrives at Buckingham Palace today
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive for the lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Princess Beatrice arrives for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Lady Helen Taylor and her daughters Estella and Eloise Taylor arrive at the palace today
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive today, with their son August asleep in the back
The King is driven into Buckingham Palace this morning for his pre-Christmas lunch
Queen Camilla arrives for King Charles III's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank arrive for the lunch at Buckingham Palace today
Lady Frederick Windsor aka Sophie Winkleman arrives at Buckingham Palace this afternoon
Prince and Princess Michael of Kent at Buckingham Palace for the pre-Christmas lunch today
The Duchess of Edinburgh arrives for the King Charles III's lunch at Buckingham Palace today
King Charles III arrives for his pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this morning
Princess Beatrice (right) arrives for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
The Earl of St Andrews (front centre) and Lord Downpatrick (right) arrive for the lunch today
Lord Frederick Windsor (left), Lady Frederick Windsor aka Sophie Winkleman (right) and their daughter Isabella (centre) arrive for the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
King Charles III and his private secretary Sir Clive Alderton arrive at Buckingham Palace today
Queen Camilla arrives for King Charles III's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
The King is driven into Buckingham Palace this morning for his pre-Christmas lunch
Lord Frederick Windsor (left) and Sophie Winkleman (right) arrive at Buckingham Palace today
King Charles III arrives for his pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this morning
The Earl of St Andrews arrives for the King's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace today
He is also said to have entered St James's Palace and Windsor Castle at Andrew's invitation.
Last Friday, the duke's office said Andrew 'ceased all contact' with the then-unnamed businessman when concerns were first raised about him.
Andrew met Mr Yang through 'official channels' with 'nothing of a sensitive nature ever discussed', a statement said.
The duke, now 64, has disappeared from public life since stepping down from official duties in 2019 following the furore over his friendship with convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew's status as a member of the royal family was left in tatters three years later when the Queen stripped him of his honorary military roles, remaining royal patronages and he gave up his HRH style in a dramatic fallout from a US civil sex case brought against him.
Prince William, George, Charlotte, Louis and Kate during the 'Together At Christmas' Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on December 6, 2024 - the last time the family were seen
Prince Andrew is seen driving from his home at Royal Lodge in Windsor yesterday morning
Prince Andrew is accompanied by his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York at the annual royal outing to the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham, Norfolk, on December 25, 2023
Alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo, who forged links with the Duke of York
The legal process ended when he paid millions to settle the civil sexual assault case with Virginia Giuffre, a woman he claimed never to have met and who was trafficked by Epstein.
The duke no longer attends Trooping the Colour, Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph or the annual Commonwealth Day service.
But he was at the King's coronation, and is still a member of the Order of the Garter, taking part in the senior order of chivalry's annual service behind closed doors, but does not appear in the public procession.
Andrew carried on joining the royal family for Christmas Day, and last year walked from Sandringham House to church with the other royals - seen as symbolic of his gradual rehabilitation within the family. But it remains to be seen if he will return to the fold.
