- Kate Middleton hosted her fifth annual Christmas carol concert at Westminster Abbey on 5 Dec
- Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were expected but did not attend, despite reportedly receiving invitations
- Sources say the sisters were “touched” by the invitation but had prior commitments
Kate Middleton’s fifth annual Christmas carol concert, Together at Christmas, took place this year on 5 December, with royal family members and celebrities alike (including Eugene Levy, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Joe Keery, and Kate Winslet) in attendance at Westminster Abbey.
Two royals who were expected to show were not spotted among the attendees, however: the disgraced Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
Though the former prince and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, were left off the invite list, sources previously claimed that the York sisters had received invitations from Kate. So... why the no-show? Per the Daily Mail, “It is believed they were touched at the invitation but had previous commitments.”
Last month, royal commentator Neil Sean revealed that the Princess of Wales had extended invitations to both Eugenie and Beatrice for her annual Christmas celebration, telling Fox News Digital, “The royal family wants to be seen as united amid what has been a very difficult year.” However, following Andrew’s exile, Kate’s invitation reportedly presented the sisters with “a very difficult dilemma.”
He continued, “If they don’t attend, it looks like they’re snubbing a prestigious invite. If they do attend, they know there could be a media circus with them at the centre of attention,” adding, “The idea is that the sisters would make a low-key entrance and show support.”
More recently, royal expert Robert Jobson told Hello! Magazine that Prince William is eager to protect his cousins and doesn’t want them being “punished” on behalf of their parents.
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“His focus is forward; and forward includes the York sisters,” he said, adding that Wills reportedly hoped to see “uncomplaining attendance at state occasions and extra smiles Catherine’s carol service.”
So much for that, I guess!
Corinne Sullivan is an Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, shopping, and more. She can tell you everything you need to know about the love lives of A-listers, the coziest bedsheets, and the sex toys actually worth your $$$. She is also the author of the 2018 novel Indecent. Follow her on Instagram for cute pics of her pup and bébé.
