Prince William and Kate Middleton Skip Royal Easter Service Again—Family Drama Continues

The royal family turned out for Easter service this Sunday, but there was a notable gap in the lineup—once again, Prince William and Kate Middleton, along with their three children, were nowhere to be seen.

This marks the second consecutive year the Prince and Princess of Wales have opted out of the traditional festivities. The couple, joined by Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, spent the holiday at Anmer Hall, their country retreat in Norfolk on the Sandringham estate. Last year’s absence was chalked up to Kate’s cancer treatment, which is now thankfully in remission, but it seems the family is embracing a quieter holiday routine.

Back at St. George’s Chapel, the Easter guest list included King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and—controversy magnet alert—Prince Andrew. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, attended with their spouses, as did their mother, Sarah Ferguson. It’s starting to feel like the royal RSVP is a game of musical chairs, and the playlist is stuck on the scandal track.

While representatives for William, Kate, and Buckingham Palace kept mum about the absence, the Duke of York’s presence stood out. Since his disastrous 2019 interview about his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew has stepped back from royal duties, lost his military titles and royal patronages in 2022, and settled a high-profile lawsuit with Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Yet, he still finds his way to family gatherings—draw your own conclusions about how the royal inner circle works.

Adding to the soap opera, Andrew’s holiday escapades made headlines again this past December when he missed King Charles’ pre-Christmas lunch amid fresh drama: this time, links to an alleged Chinese spy. His office claimed he’d severed contact after official advice, and nothing "sensitive" was discussed — but let’s just say, Andrew’s definition of "nothing to see here" never fails to raise eyebrows.

According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and daughter Beatrice advised him to skip the lunch, a rare moment where royal family drama was avoided instead of ignited. Even in the House of Windsor, sometimes mother (and ex-wife) knows best.