King Charles throws secret party but three key royals were missing: Here's why

King Charles quietly hosted a private celebration at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night to mark the Duke of Kent’s 90th birthday, but three senior royals were noticeably absent.

The exclusive gathering, which was not publicly announced in advance, honoured Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, one of the King’s closest relatives and the last surviving grandchild of King George V and Queen Mary. 

According to the Court Circular, guests included Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent, and Princess Alexandra.

However, the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh were missing from the royal guest list.

A Palace source told The Daily Mail that Sophie was attending the Country Land and Business Association Reception in London, while Prince William was finalising plans for his upcoming Earthshot Prize tour. 

He will soon travel solo to South America for the fifth annual environmental awards and the COP30 summit in Brazil.

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