The Real Reason Pippa Was Missing From Kate’s Christmas Service After Reports They’re ‘Losing’ Their ‘Once Close Relationship’
When Kate Middleton first broke into the public consciousness when she started dating Prince William, and later, when the two got married, her relationship with her sister Pippa Middleton was really, really close. Things were easier then, of course. They were younger, had no kids, and had much fewer responsibilities. Now, things have changed considerably. But people still expect the same.
That’s probably why there’s been so much attention paid to the fact that Pippa Middleton was not present at Kate’s Together at Christmas carol service. The carol service took place on December 5. But where was Pippa Middleton? She was instead at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with her husband, James Matthews, a former racing driver and Williams Racing board member.
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This is the first time Pippa Middleton misses her sister’s carol service, and sources close to the Middleton family told RadarOnline it was just a scheduling issue. “Pippa has been increasingly busy with travel and work commitments. Attending the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with James was an important engagement for them both, and it simply coincided with the carol concert.”
Another insider made it clear this had absolutely nothing to do with the relationship between the sisters. “Some people wondered why she skipped the carol service, but it wasn’t a snub – it’s just that her life has become more globally focused, and she sometimes can’t be in London for these events.”
“Pippa has always played a supportive role at Kate’s events, but her life is increasingly her own,” a royal commentator explained. “While it’s unusual for her to miss the carol service, her presence at high-profile events like the Grand Prix shows she’s maintaining her public profile in a different sphere.”
Kate’s parents and siblings attended the carol service this year, and sources say that despite Pippa’s absence, things are good between the two. “Relations between Kate and Pippa are really solid. Her sister just fancied something different this year, and has told Kate she will back at the service next year. It’s become a real fixture in the Middleton family’s calendar, so she was apologetic she didn’t make it this year, but things are all good between the sisters.”
All of this comes after RadarOnline reported earlier in the year that things between the sisters had changed as their lives “couldn’t be more different.” According to NewIdea, Kate is reportedly “missing more and more of her old family” because of her royal duties.
“Kate is painfully aware that things have been changing for a while. The pressures of her public role have only increased since Queen Elizabeth passed away, pushing her husband and kids up in the line of succession,” a source told the publication. “The unfortunate collateral of that has been losing the laid-back Middleton family way of things she holds so dear … especially her once incredibly close relationship with her little sister.”
Change is normal for everyone. Whether Kate and Pippa Middleton can find a way to remain close as life changes around them, however, remains to be seen.
