Prince William Spending Christmas With In-Laws As Kate Middleton Battles Illness

Prince William and his in-laws will get to spend some quality time this Christmas.

The prince and wife Kate Middleton have decided to forgo the royal Christmas celebration and spend time with the in-laws in the southern England village of Bucklebury.

After Kate was hospitalized for suffering from severe morning sickness, Queen Elizabeth broke royal protocol and invited Prince William’s in-laws to the royal family’s annual gathering at Sandringham Estate, Yahoo! News reported. The Queen had hoped it would encourage Kate to attend despite the difficulties she’s faced early in her pregnancy.

Kate Middleton had been hospitalized earlier this month, and the severity of the condition left her unable to make any definite Christmas plans until close to the holiday,United Press International noted.

The report predicted a Christmas with Prince William and his in-laws.

“It depends on how she feels,” a source said. “And if Catherine doesn’t go, William probably won’t either.”

The statement from St. James’ Palace, Prince William’s officials residence, didn’t go into too many details, The Associated Press noted. But an article written Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa gave some insight into Prince William’s holiday with his in-laws.

“The Middletons’ Christmas should be blissfully calm. We’re good at keeping each other’s spirits up,” Pippa wrote in the most recent edition of Britain’s Spectator magazine.

Prince William can expect Kate and Pippa’s father, Michael, to surprise the family with a bizarre costume.

“He buys a new costume each year and typically gets a bit carried away — a couple of Christmases ago, he appeared in an inflatable sumo outfit,” Pippa wrote.

Though the royals traditionally spend the holidays together at Sandringham, Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, gave Prince William permission to say with his in-laws.