Why Prince William Missed Queen Elizabeth's Christmas Lunch With Kate Middleton and the Royal Family

Prince Harry and Prince Phillip also joined in on the outing

By Mike Vulpo Dec 16, 2015 9:32 PMTags
Prince WilliamJeff Spicer/PA Images/startraksphoto.com

Don't call Prince William a scrooge just yet.

Some royal watchers were a bit perplexed Wednesday morning when they saw Kate Middleton and Prince George celebrating the holidays without their beloved family member.

"The Duke had a personal commitment today and could not be at the lunch as planned," a source shared with E! News.

As it turns out, the 33-year-old had a perfectly valid excuse for why he couldn't attend the Christmas gathering hosted by Queen Elizabeth ll. E! News can confirm the Duke of Cambridge had to attend a memorial service for the father of a close friend.

Tim Rooke/REX Shutterstock

Held at St. Michael's Church in Wiltshire, the ceremony was in honor of John Pelly. He was the father of both William and Prince Harry's close friend Guy Pelly.

Meanwhile, Kate, George and Harry appeared to be in good spirits as they attended the royal family's annual Christmas gathering at Buckingham Palace.

The trio was photographed arriving outside the palace where the Duchess of Cambridge was wearing a festive cherry coat perfect for the holidays. She completed her look with colorful nail art that resembled Rudolph the red nose reindeer.

Other guests in attendance included the Prince of Wales, former England rugby player Mike Tindall and wife Zara Phillips and Princess Eugenie.

With Christmas less than nine days away, both William and Kate are gearing up for a special day that Prince George completely understands.

"George will be bouncing around like a rabbit," he shared in a personal interview with The Big Issue magazine. "If I get any sleep on Christmas Eve, it'll be good."

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