Pippa takes Kate’s place by Wills at chum’s carols

THE Duke of Cambridge went to St Luke’s Church in Chelsea this week for the annual Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund carol concert, but his wife Kate was conspicuous by her absence.

The service is organised by Prince William’s close chum Thomas van Straubenzee, whose brother Henry died in a car crash at the age of 18 in 2002. Tom, who is a godfather to Princess Charlotte, is going through a divorce from Lady Melissa Percy, daughter of the Duke of Northumberland. Kate also missed their wedding in 2013, which Princes William and Harry attended.

While Kate, 33, has attended this service in previous years, she was also absent last year, but her pregnancy may have accounted for this. On Wednesday night, she was not due to attend any other engagements.

The Middleton family was instead represented by Kate’s younger sister Pippa, 32, and mother Carol, 60.