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NEED TO KNOW
Kate Middleton did not attend the Diplomatic Reception on Nov. 18
The Princess of Wales, 43, last attended the event in December 2023
Princess Kate stepped out earlier in the day for her early childhood mission
Kate Middletondidn't joinPrince William,King CharlesandQueen Camillafor an annual event on the royal calendar.
On Nov. 18, the Princess of Wales, 43, missed the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor Castle.
Buckingham Palace announced the event on Tuesday that King Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, would host, accompanied by Prince William, 43.
Princess Kate had stepped out earlier in the day on Nov. 18,attending The Future Workforce Summitin London. The summit was organized by The Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood from her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and she delivered her first speech there in two years.
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Princess Katelast attended the Diplomatic Reception in December 2023, where she shimmered in a pink sequin Jenny Packham and the Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara, the most frequently worn tiara in her rotation.
The Princess of Wales also wasn't present at the event last year, as she reduced her royal duties in 2024 after announcing that March that she wasundergoing treatment for cancer. She said in September that shecompleted chemotherapy treatmentand shared in January of this year that she isin remission.
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The Diplomatic Reception is an annual event hosted by the sovereign and is organized to recognize the members of the Diplomatic Corps in London, one of the largest in the world.
The reception allows the royals to meet representatives of the countries accredited to the Court of St. James.
Tonight's Diplomatic Reception will be the first time that the bash has been held at Windsor Castle since 2001, bringing the event back to the castle for the first time in 24 years. Buckingham Palace, the traditional venue for the reception, is undergoing renovations, and recent state visits have similarly been held at Windsor Castle instead of the palace in London.
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The event fell on the eve of the Royal Variety Performance, which Prince William and Princess Kate are set to attend tomorrow.
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