Buckingham Palace's annual Diplomatic Corps Reception was moved from its traditional December date to Tuesday, Nov. 19, but one royal was missing from this year's glamorous event. Kate Middleton has attended the reception—complete with a glittering tiara—every year since 2013 (minus once when she was in New York). But while she stayed home from Tuesday night's banquet, the Princess of Wales did take on a different royal event.
The Diplomatic Corps Reception typically kicks off the holiday season for the royals, but this year, a state visit conflicts with its usual December timeframe. During the white-tie event, the Royal Family welcomes various ambassadors and diplomats from around the world.
Princess Kate's attendance is always a highlight for royal fans, with the mom of three showing off a number of dazzling gowns, but since it's one of the few times that royal women break out their tiaras, her absence was even more disappointing. However, one royal expert pointed out that there was a very good reason why the royal—who has been recovering from cancer treatment in recent months—likely stayed at home.
"The palace will be keen to manage expectations," author Robert Hardman told Hello! "If she did start returning to major social events, that would lead people to think things are back to normal, which isn't the case."
The royal commentator added, "I think there's no pressure on her to do that."
The princess has made four major public appearances in 2024 amid her illness, and while it was always a tossup as to whether she'd take part in this year's reception, it was only announced hours before the event that Prince William would be attending solo.
However, even though Princess Kate might not have dressed in her best gown for the evening, earlier in the day, she spent the day working on a cause close to her heart. Per the palace's Court Circular, the royal held a meeting related to her work with early childhood development at Windsor Castle.
"The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this morning held an Early Years Meeting at Windsor Castle," the Court Circular entry read.
Although she missed the Diplomatic Corps Reception, royal fans just might see a tiara moment in December when the palace hosts a state banquet for the Amir of Qatar. But as the princess herself said in her moving cancer update video in September, she'll be taking on events when she feels up to it—and coming back to royal life on her own terms.
