Last night, Prince Charles celebrated his 70th birthday early with a grand concert gala at The Royal Opera House in London. The event featured performers like Judi Dench and dancers from The Royal Ballet, but familiar royal faces were missing, including the celebrant's sons and daughters-in-law: Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle.
The gala wasn't necessarily a family party; instead, it was a celebration honoring the Prince of Wales' support for the arts. (He's a patron of over 70 artistic organizations.) That explains why other family members, even Charles' mother, the Queen, weren't in attendance. His wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was present, as she helped organize the event, according to Vanity Fair.
So where were Princes Charles' kids? The answer for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex is easy. The couple is currently on royal tour of the Pacific—literally on the other side of the globe—and were therefore unable to attend the festivities.
Last night, Harry and Meghan actually attended a formal event of their own: the Australian Geographic Society Awards in Sydney. Markle wore a princess-worthy Oscar de la Renta gown for the occasion.
James D. Morgan//Getty Images
As for Kate Middleton and Prince William, the answer is a little more vague. Although they were in town on Tuesday to attend a state dinner at Buckingham Palace, royal fans believe the couple returned to their country home, Anmer Hall in Norfolk, for some downtime with the family.
A video even surfaced appearing to show the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge departing Kensington Palace and heading to a helicopter, presumably to fly back to Anmer, the day before Prince Charles' birthday gala.
Prince Charles’ birthday isn’t until November 14, but there have been a number of events this year honoring his turning 70. At the end of May, three days after the royal wedding, he hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace, which Meghan and Harry did attend. They arrived with the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, and Meghan seemed to have a great time bonding with her in-laws.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were missing in action then, too. William was speaking at an engagement in Manchester honoring the bombing victims, while Kate was on maternity leave. (She had just given birth to Prince Louis a month prior.)
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
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