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 think we’ve come full circle to this conclusion. From now on to be entered into royal annals as this.

True but as we say with toddlers and LTB Mumsnet husbands if you give an ultimatum you've got to follow through with it, otherwise it's just empty words and you've lost your leverage.

Better to risk a little disrespect to some second cousins who will probably forgive you than a more serious official event which would could have more serious repercussions.

There was just something in the triumphant way Andrew was grinning. Like he thought he'd won.

Let's hope Charles' advisors note the public reaction either way to Andrew's 'power grab' as some of the tabloids are calling it.

😂

Reading @CommaChameleon7's post it sounds like he took his own life

I don't for one minute believe it had anything to do with the death of Thomas Kingston.

• Gabriella is William's second cousin not cousin
• her parents, aunt and uncle were there today, alongside a host of other relations closer to her than William or equally related

Constantine was also her godfather do I agree that's why she may have wished her parents to still attend.
Even if it turns out that he and William were good friends, it still doesn't make sense for the last minute drop out. William could still have attended.

My money is still on something unforeseen to do with the children or the Middleton's which wouldn't be appropriate for a nanny to deal with, and which can't be announced until more is known/ it's dealt with.

This

Royal annals or Royal.anals?

You should be a Sun headline writer

His brother left of course he left his responsibilities behind. William could leave too

Wills can get away with insulting the entire ex Greek Royal Family, as well as his sick father just because he doesn't want to walk behind her?

Willy got away with insulting the entire Commonwealth by failing to attend a commemoration service in favour of a lad's holiday (service was attended by Harold incidentally).

He's not going to balk at a family.

Reading @CommaChameleon7's post it sounds like he took his own life

Bloody hell.

He seems to be good at prioritising himself.

Gabriella Windsor is a really quite distant relative - also her parents made it to the service despite their son in law's death (which seems a bit weird but there you go - this is the rf). It's batshit to suggest he was focussing on the (clearly tragic) event. BP has taken time out to say that wasn't the reason anyhow.

Lots of people haven't even got a clue who their grandmother's first cousin's child is.

Liz?!

It's batshit to suggest he was focussing on the (clearly tragic) event
Why?

I have to keep reminding myself that MN is full of people who only value 'my little family, never answer the front door and don't have lots of cousins uncles and aunts.

There was just something in the triumphant way Andrew was grinning. Like he thought he'd won

Indeed. He needs a slap round the chops with a week old kipper, he does
🤣

Yeah he just doesn't know how to do somber

Lady Gabriella's father and Prince William's grandmother were first cousins, so they're second cousins once removed. And her parents were able to attend. So I think William could have held off for an hour or two (especially as the death occurred on Sunday, and he could have withdrawn in a more orderly fashion on Monday rather than considerably more noticeably just an hour before the start)

He would also have known well in advance that there would be a general invitation to most/all of his family, especially all descendants of Prince Phillip (first cousin of King Constantine). So I think if he were disinclined to attend events where Andrew would turn up, he would have declined the invitation. He certainly would not be so rude as to agree to do a reading, then cry off on one hour's notice for that reason.

Which is why people keep coming back to the only acceptable reasons, which are also so urgent that they cannot wait a couple of hours. So illness (D&V, something contagious or something which means he's lost his voice and feels like utter crap), or something up with one of the DC that cannot be handled by school or household staff for an hour (trip to A&E, need for parental consent for a procedure - maybe pinning a bone or something else that might require an anaesthetic, like suspected appendicitis)

I haven't a clue myself, but does anyone know if the Wales' were in residence in Windsor or Anmer in Norfolk (or elsewhere - Bucklebury maybe?) today? I mean seriously..... if they were at home in their little four bed cottage on the Windsor Estate, isn't it just down the road from the church if W forgot his hanky or something.

Emergency dental appointment?

If Gabriella's parents were there, why would William, as a very distant cousin, not be there?

The relationship is not close.

Absolutely. He didn't want to be doing his party piece in his Tena Man!

I can't believe anyone thinks it is to do with a second cousins husband dying.

It might be one of his own kids who'd taken ill / got injured but I think if it was serious enough for him to pull out for a family thing it would have been a hospital visit and probably announced. But maybe not.

I have no idea how close William actually is to Gabriella Windsor, maybe they are friends, but she is his grandma’s cousins daughter and not his cousin. I wouldn’t class that as a super close relative.

Nothing official, but half term is over so the assumption is that they returned to Adelaide Cottage in time for school restarting yesterday

Haha little four bed on the Windsor Estate.