Why Princess Kate was missing from Easter Sunday service with rest of family (2025)

The Prince and Princess of Wales were not in attendance at the Easter Sunday service for the second year in a row, as they opted to spend the holiday with their children in Norfolk

The Princess of Wales gave the annual Easter Sunday church service in Windsor a miss today (April 20) for the second time running.

King Charles was all smiles as he took the lead with the rest of the Royal Family at the annual morning Easter Service, held at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. But for the second year on the trot, the Prince and Princess of Wales were no-shows, having also missed out last year when Princess Kate, now thankfully in remission, was battling cancer.

This time around, William and Kate decided to give the big do a swerve to have some quality time with their kids in Norfolk.

A source told the Mirror earlier this week: "They are choosing to spend time together as a family before the children go back to school."

The prince, who'll one day be the head of the Church of England, told his dad, the King, about his plans for the rest of the Easter hols with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, the outlet reported.

The Waleses have their rural retreat, Anmer Hall, tucked away on the Sandringham estate. Meanwhile, Charles and the rest of the royals showed a solid front today, beaming their way to the church service, reports the Express.

Last year, the King's Easter Sunday outing was his first major public appearance post his own cancer scare. He got a round of applause from the crowd as he exchanged pleasantries with the well-wishers who cheered him on to "keep going strong".

On Thursday, the monarch, with Queen Camilla by his side, was at the traditional Maundy service at Durham Cathedral, marking a standout moment in the Royal diary.

He presented Maundy money to 76 men and 76 women - a gesture symbolising each year of his life - as a token of gratitude for their Christian service within their communities.

In his Easter message for 2025, Charles emphasised the universal importance of love, a virtue he believes the world "still needs".

He reflected on Jesus's actions as a "token of His love that knew no bounds or boundaries and is central to Christian belief".

Charles continued: "The love He showed when He walked the Earth reflected the Jewish ethic of caring for the stranger and those in need, a deep human instinct echoed in Islam and other religious traditions, and in the hearts of all who seek the good of others.

"The abiding message of Easter is that God so loved the world, the whole world, that He sent His son to live among us to show us how to love one another, and to lay down His own life for others in a love that proved stronger than death."

He added: "There are three virtues that the world still needs, faith, hope and love. 'And the greatest of these is love'."

King Charles also acknowledged the dual nature of humanity, capable of both "capable of both great cruelty and great kindness".

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