William DEFIED King Charles Over His Bold Decision To Catherine’s Parents In Berkshire
In the photo, released at the start of 2020, George stands proudly alongside William, his grandfather King Charles, who was still then Prince of Wales, and the late Queen. Taken in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace, not only was it a snap for the family album, but it also clearly laid out the future of the British Monarchy.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are no doubt looking forward to the festive season, with Catherine set to host her annual Christmas Carol service at Westminster Abbey. The couple traditionally spends Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham in Norfolk, stepping out to greet locals on the way to church. In recent years, the Wales family has joined them for this annual outing. However, their plans for this year have yet to be confirmed.
The couple has only missed Christmas with the Royals on two occasions. The first was in 2012, when Catherine, pregnant with Prince George, suffered from hyperemesis gravidarum (severe morning sickness). Just weeks before Christmas, she was hospitalized with the condition. That year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge opted to spend the festive season with Carole and Michael Middleton in Bucklebury, Berkshire, to aid Catherine’s recovery. They later visited Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip privately at the Sandringham estate.
In 2016, they broke tradition again, spending Christmas with Catherine’s family in Bucklebury. Royal fans were delighted to see George and Charlotte attending the church service, accompanied by their grandparents Carole and Michael, and their aunt and uncle, Pippa and James. The young royals left the church clutching candy canes, with George wearing a gray button-up coat and Charlotte matching her mother in a navy jacket and burgundy tights.
The festive tradition resumed in 2022, with Prince Louis joining his family for the first time on the walk to church. The then 5-year-old held Prince William’s hand and later joined Catherine to greet well-wishers. Fans noticed Louis’ festive outfit and speculated that his trousers once belonged to older brother George, sparking memories of a past family photo that reportedly upset Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
As speculation grows over the Sussexes’ Christmas plans, many readers have voiced concerns about the possibility of Prince Harry and Meghan bringing their children, Archie and Lilibet, to Sandringham. In recent polls, 1,621 readers (84%) voted that the Sussexes shouldn’t bring their children, while 272 votes (14%) supported the idea, and 40 votes (2%) were undecided. Critics argue that while it’s unfortunate Archie and Lilibet have spent little time with their British family, it would be unfair to risk tension or media leaks during the royal family’s Christmas celebrations.
The strained relationship between the Sussexes and the royal family was highlighted by a photo released in 2020. The image showed George, William, Charles, and the late Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace’s throne room, clearly depicting the monarchy’s future. The photo reportedly deepened Harry and Meghan’s sense of exclusion, and just days later, they announced their decision to step back from senior royal roles.
Last year, speculation about a reunion arose when Harry and Meghan spoke with King Charles for his 75th birthday, with Archie and Lilibet sweetly singing “Happy Birthday” in a video. However, sources report little communication between the Sussexes and the King since then, leaving their potential holiday plans shrouded in uncertainty.
