Kate Middleton ‘snubbed historic Royal Family invitation’ that broke tradition
Kate Middleton was a constant presence at all major Royal Family events before she was sadly diagnosed with cancer.
However, before her 2011 wedding with Prince William, tradition often dictated that those not yet married into the Royal family were excluded from family occasions such as Christmas and Easter. In fact, Kate didn’t take part in an official royal Christmas celebrations with William until December 2011 – the Christmas following her wedding.
Interestingly, Meghan Markle, her future sister-in-law, was allowed to join the royal Christmas with Prince Harry years later, despite them not being married. This led to questions from fans about why the same offer hadn’t been extended to Kate.
However, royal author Robert Lacey said the late Queen had invited Kate to a festive event prior to her engagement to William, but she declined. In his biography Battle of Brothers, Lacey claimed the monarch broke from tradition and extended her first invitation to an unregistered partner for the family’s traditional Christmas lunch in 2006.
But Kate, who was 24 at the time, is reported to have turned down the historic request. In his book, Lacey wrote that Kate “would go to Sandringham on Christmas Day only when she was engaged”.
He revealed: “By 2006, the couple had been dating seriously for the best part of five years. Yet when William invited Kate to join him that year at Sandringham for the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas lunch, she refused. It was the first time the Queen had extended such an invitation to an unregistered ‘girlfriend’ but Kate had her own take on that break with tradition: she would go to Sandringham on Christmas Day only when she was engaged and had a ring to prove it.”
In another departure from tradition, Kate could be gearing up to break from royal conventions concerning her son, Prince George. Now at the age of 11 and positioned as the second-in-line to the British throne, speculation is rife regarding his future education.
Presently, George is enrolled alongside his siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at the Lambrook School, which offers a coeducational environment near their home in Windsor. However, Lambrook only accepts children until they’re 13.
Although many experts have suggested Eton College as the likely choice, mirroring the path of Prince William and Prince Harry, nothing has been confirmed. Another potential school for the young prince has been suggested – Marlborough College, which is Kate’s former school. The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reported that the Princess of Wales was spotted visiting her old school, sparking rumors that it might be a consideration for George.