Kate Middleton and Prince William skip royal family's pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace

According to a royal source, they are already in Norfolk ahead of the Christmas celebrations at Sandringham. “William and Kate are already in Norfolk, as had been planned, and are looking forward to spending time with the rest of the royal family at Sandringham over Christmas,” the source added.

The lunch at Buckingham Palace is a private event for senior royals and their wider family who will not be joining the King at Sandringham for the festive period. In previous years, the Prince and Princess of Wales were seen attending the lunch, including in 2018 and 2019. The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid pandemic.

Meanwhile, the Duke of York has also decided not to attend the lunch, amid scrutiny over his links to alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo. Sources suggest Prince Andrew made the decision after speaking with Sarah, Duchess of York.

Andrew has already withdrawn from the royal family’s Sandringham Christmas celebrations. This week, a High Court case revealed that Yang Tengbo, previously referred to as H6, was a business associate of Andrew through his Pitch@Palace initiative. Yang visited Buckingham Palace twice in 2018 and met with Prince Andrew at Windsor Castle and St James’s Palace.

Yang has denied espionage allegations, stating that claims against him are “entirely untrue” and that he has “done nothing wrong or unlawful.” In a statement, Prince Andrew’s office said he “ceased all contact” with Yang when concerns were first raised, adding that their meetings were conducted through “official channels” and involved “nothing of a sensitive nature.”

The Princess of Wales has gradually returned to public events following her cancer treatment. Earlier this month, she joined Prince William and their children at Westminster Abbey for her annual Together At Christmas carol service.