Kate Middleton News: Kate And Prince William Break Royal Tradition, Won’t Spend Christmas With The Queen

Kate Middleton and Prince William don’t mind doing things differently, and this Christmas they’ve made a decision to break with royal tradition. According to the Sun, the young Kate and William and their children Prince George and Princess Charlotte plan to go to Middleton’s parents’, Carole and Mike Middleton, for the holidays.

The royal family always gathers at Sandringham for the holidays, and it’s nearly unthinkable to be absent. Only family is invited, and most of the time, all the family obeys the queen’s invitation to celebrate Christmas together.

The young royals, Duchess Kate and Prince William, have already made a significant change in that tradition and it appears they are willing to continue to break with royal tradition this year.

Their palatial home Amner Hall in Norfolk is actually on the Sandringham estate, so in the past, the couple has begun Christmas day at Amner Hall, and joined the rest of the royals for Queen Elizabeth’s party.

An inside look at the British royal family's Christmas traditions. https://t.co/63oCm2i8ln

— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) December 13, 2016

This year, Prince George and Princess Charlotte will open presents at home, then head to church with the other royals, but after the Christmas service, the young prince and princess won’t be going back to dinner with grandpa Prince Charles and the rest of the family. Kate will take her husband and children to the Middleton’s house for the rest of the day.

“This way, Will and Kate can really enjoy the look of joy on their children’s faces.”

The Irish Independent reports that an insider spoke with Closer magazine about Middleton’s Christmas plans. Kate feels strongly about family, and wants to focus on giving her own young children the kind of Christmas she had as a child.

“Since they had children, Kate and Prince William have been slowly making a couple of changes each year. Kate’s goal is to make Christmas more of a close family occasion, and less of a formal one.”

A Middleton family friend described Christmas at Kate’s parents, and it definitely doesn’t sound formal. If Kate wants to balance some of the rule-bound life of Sandringham for George and Charlotte, a Middleton Christmas celebration sounds like the perfect choice.

“Christmas at the Middletons is always a riotous affair. It’s very informal — Michael puts on fancy dress and everyone has to wear Christmas jumpers. They buy silly presents and it’s a lot of fun with great food and games.”

Kate and William did spend the holiday away from the queen and other royals once before. The first holidays after they were married, Kate wanted to be with her parents, or more particularly, with her mom. Middleton was pregnant with George that year, and she was suffering terrible morning sickness.

Middleton’s pregnancies are always very difficult because of her hyperemesis gravidarum (morning sickness) that has even put her in the hospital because of its severity.

If Kate is pregnant now with a third prince or princess, that would certainly explain why she wants to be with mom over the holidays. According to People magazine, this will be the first time that George and Charlotte spend Christmas with the Middletons instead of with the queen.

This will also be the last Christmas that the Middleton’s younger daughter, Pippa Middleton, 33, is single, since her wedding to James Matthews, 29, is planned for May of 2017.

Middleton plans to follow one holiday tradition that was brought into the royal family from someone to whom she is often compared. William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, was known for her less-formal style, and she didn’t always fit in with the royal household.

Diana liked to get away for long walks with the little princes, William and Harry, when she had the chance, and made a point of including a walk with the princes on Christmas Day.

“Diana liked to take long walks in the woods with William and [Prince Harry] on the holiday. Kate will do the same with George and Charlotte.”

Prince William and Prince Harry have fond memories of those walks with Diana and are glad that Kate will do the same with her children.

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