WASHINGTON: As Queen Elizabeth celebrates Christmas at Windsor Castle, her grandson Prince William and his family are ringing in the holiday 135 miles away at their country home of Anmer Hall in Norfolk.
According to People magazine, William and Kate Middleton's Christmas plans likely changed after the strict COVID-19 restrictions were put in place for much of England due to an infectious new coronavirus strain in the UK.
While there was no royal family Christmas morning walk to church on Friday (local time), the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge shared a personal message on social media, writing, "This Christmas our thoughts are with those of you who are spending today alone, those of you who are mourning the loss of a loved one, and those of you on the frontline who are still mustering the energy to put your own lives on hold to look after the rest of us."
"Wishing a merry Christmas doesn't feel right this year, so instead we're wishing for a better 2021. For those struggling today, there is support available," they added before sharing a series of mental health charities and hotlines for those in need reported People Magazine.
After it was announced that Queen Elizabeth had cancelled the royal family's annual holiday celebration at her Sandringham estate due to the ongoing pandemic earlier this month, it was speculated that the Cambridges would ring in the holiday with Kate Middleton's family in Bucklebury, Berkshire. But Berkshire, where Mike and Carole Middleton live, and London, where Kate's sister Pippa Middleton and husband James Matthews live, is in Tier 4 lockdown.
As reported by People Magazine, much of the U.K. is under Tier 4 lockdown, which bans all households from mixing and overnight stays away from home. A travel ban has also been introduced, with no exit or entry from the Tier 4 regions.
As per People Magazine, William, Kate and their three kids 7-year-old Prince George, 5-year-old Princess Charlotte and 2-year-old Prince Louis have spent much of the pandemic at their country home in Norfolk, and it is thought that they'll remain there throughout the holiday season.