William just pulled out of event due to personal reasons

[Kenthighst]

https://news.sky.com/story/prince-of-wales-pulls-out-of-memorial-service-due-to-personal-matter-13081984

I’m sure that wasn’t the reason.

Absolutely. Her parents didn't miss the service and surely they would be more likely to than Wills in the circumstances.

He didn't cheat on her.

The person who started the rumours had since admitted doing so for a joke. Unfortunately long before that the rumours had spread around the world.

UK papers simply alluded to it by writing about a falling out between Kate and this friend. I assume they couldn't print the actual rumours given the lack of evidence and the tighter press rules now.

If nothing else pulling out at such a late point and the inevitable speculation would have risked someone leaking the reason why and William wouldn’t have done that when the announcement wasn’t being made until this evening

Unless one of the children has an obvious broken arm at some point I doubt we’ll ever know why he pulled out so last minute

Haven’t read this full thread yet as I’d come on mumsnet to check a headline that just popped up on my phone from Sky News.

When a news agency puts out a two sentence report saying that a government agency said something “definitely isn’t happening” then you know for sure that that thing is absolutely happening 😂

My total tin foil hat theory is that the high level briefing @newrubylane is musing over could be related to the Sky News story.

nothing like adding 1 + 1 and deciding the answer is 5683 😉

Donning my hard hat over my tin foil hat right now!

Then why did the Palace make a statement at all? I doubt anyone would have noticed his absence apart from those invited to attend
Yeah no one would have noticed. What was this service today?

TBH I'm surprised they were there at all, rather than with their daughter who's just lost her husband of a mere 4 years

Close to Constantine or not I'd have thought they were closer to their own child, and it's not as if this was the actual funeral but a memorial instead

How comes you know so much details? Ms Hanbury is that you? Or simply a RF sycophant defensively posting

Journalists could easily have noticed and would then have asked. There were clearly photographers there as there are plenty of pictures of the queen and other royal family members. William was in the order to service to give a reading so it would be fairly obvious it was a late change.

Today was a memorial service to the former king of Greece, William's godfather.

Yeah, she doesn't work 24/7

Ah okay it was a memorial service for Constantine. So Andrew and everyone were all very chatty walking to the church door I see. Isn't it a somber occasion like a funeral.

@Mylovelygreendress "They have one nanny . She has been with the family since George was born"

She must rack up a lot of overtime!!🤣

No - memorial services are usually much cheerier as they are about celebrating the life rather than mourning like a funeral.

They often take place quite a while after the funeral so that the initial grieving has abated.

They often take place quite a while after the funeral so that the initial grieving has abated.

Yes, he died over a year ago.

Close to Constantine or not I'd have thought they were closer to their own child, and it's not as if this was the actual funeral but a memorial instead

Goodness me yes. Bigger things going on with their daughter.

He was Gabriella’s godfather, she attended his funeral in Greece last year. For all we know they may have attended at her insistence.

Perhaps it was Gabriella's wish that her parents attend the memorial service.

It wouldn't surprise me at all if Wills shagged around. He really would be 'the only Prince of Wales never to have had a mistress'! I'm not sure why people are so certain he hasn't been unfaithful. He has time, people to cover for him, a family history where virtually the only person who seemingly hasn't had an affair is his disgraced Uncle Andrew and plenty of willing participants.

Lots of people think that Kate is secretly on MN. Do you think she's reading all this wild speculation and chortling away to herself whilst Wills is doubled over in the loo?

Oh, I hope Kate isn’t on MN. Much as I see the Rf as pointless, it can’t be good for the soul to endlessly read about yourself, whether for good or bad.

I don't think it has anything to do with Andrew.

Agree.

Willy's been pictured driving with the porcine lump of self-importance riding shotgun twice. Can't see him being bothered by sharing a memorial service diluted by the attendance of many others.

Pics of said porcine lump striding out smugly today are utterly nauseating 😝

I agree, although I think speculation is inevitable and mostly good natured. But William has an awful lot to cope with mentally. The burden of continuing on an ancient monarchy, the feeling that the best times may be in the past. He's at a tricky age as well. It's horrible when one blow follows another in such a short time frame, you don't really have time to adjust before another one comes along. Such is life I suppose. Hope he's OK.

Lovely .

Living normally lol…with their full time norland nanny and the rest of the staff.

I think it could have been to do with making a stand re. Andrew. Wills got a huge amount of criticism for being seen with him at something or other a few months back, I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibility he doesn’t want to incur that again. Or give Andrew notions of “a way back” now that KC and KM are out of action and senior RF members are thin on the ground. He says, “It’s him or me, Pa”, KC says, “Wind your neck in, it’s up to the Greeks who’s invited and I’m not pulling rank on a grieving family”, and PW makes a stand. Not beyond the realms of possibility.

So I think it’s either that, something kid-related, or a upcoming PR issue. Isn’t judgment due tomorrow re. one of Harry’s court cases? The one about the security assessments?