King Charles held a private party at Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening in honour of the Duke of Kent’s landmark 90th birthday, which took place earlier this month. The event was attended by several members of the Royal Family, according to the Court Circular; however, there were some notable absences.
While Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent and Princess Alexandra were present, Prince William, Princess Kate and the Duchess of Edinburgh were missing from the line-up.
The private party follows the sad passing of the Duke of Kent’s wife, Katharine, Duchess of Kent, in September.
Prince Edward was born on October 9, 1935, in Belgrave Square in London and was a grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. He was thrust into the spotlight at the age of seven when his father died in a plane crash and he inherited the Duke of Kent title.
As a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke has played a vital role in the military and other elements of public life as he is a key supporter of charities such as the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Stroke Association and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
While Prince William, Kate and Sophie were missing from the party, the Court Circular also confirms that the Duchess had a prior engagement as she attended the Country Land and Business Association Reception in London.
William, meanwhile, is gearing up for a high-profile foreign trip, which is just days away.
The Prince of Wales is currently preparing for a major foreign trip to celebrate the fifth year of the Earthshot Prize. William’s visit will see him award another five winners with £1million to scale their environmental solutions globally, as well as provide access to world-renowned experts.
The Prize is centred around five environmental goals, known as Earthshots, which, if achieved by 2030, will improve life for everyone. The five different categories are: Revive Our Oceans, Fix Our Climate, Build a Waste-free World, Protect and Restore nature and Clean our Air.
While William’s visit will also see him attend COP30 in Belem, he will travel to South America alone as the Princess of Wales will remain in the UK. Kate last made an appearance at the Earthshot Prize in 2022 when it was held in Boston, Massachusetts.