- Duchess of Cambridge failed to show up at friends' wedding in Devon
- She was due to sit on top table at Bear Maclean and Daisy Dickson's party
- But she cancelled and Prince William attended with his sister-in-law Pippa
- Kate has barely been seen at social events since the birth of Prince George
Everything was in place for the perfect wedding: the sun was shining on the picture-postcard seaside village, the bride looked beautiful and the future king was there to join the celebrations.
There was, however, one guest conspicuous by her absence.
I can disclose that the Duchess of Cambridge failed to turn up for the wedding of estate agent Bear Maclean and socialite Daisy Dickson at All Saints Church in Thurlestone, South Devon, at the weekend.
The hosts appeared to have been informed so late that Kate’s name was still on the seating plan at the reception in a marquee overlooking the village green.
The Duchess of Cambridge failed to turn up at the last-minute for a wedding of Prince William's close friend this weekend. Instead, William (pictured left) turned up with his sister-in-law, Pippa Middleton (pictured right)
The wedding, between estate agent Bear Maclean and socialite Daisy Dickson (pictured), took place at All Saints Church in Thurlestone, South Devon
The notice appears to have been given so late that there was still a name place set for The Duchess of Cambridge (pictured in July at Charlotte's christening) at the top table
‘The names William and Catherine Wales were written on the plan, which appeared on an antique-looking mirror,’ a source claims.
‘They were due to sit at the top table. Kate had been expected to attend.’
On Saturday, however, Prince William, who is an old friend of the groom, turned up with his sister-in-law, Pippa Middleton.
‘No one knows why,’ says the source. ‘Everyone was talking about it over breakfast the next morning. They stayed on the next day and night, too, attending lunch in the marquee together.
'The plan was for everyone to go and do a river estuary swim afterwards.’
Natalie Pinkham, a Formula 1 presenter for Sky Sports, was a guest at the wedding and posted these photographs from the event. She is pictured left and right with husband Owain Walbyoff
Prince William, who is an old friend of the groom, did turn up for the event, pictured with Prince George
Kate was due to sit on top table at Bear Maclean and Daisy Dickson's wedding reception in Devon
It is just the latest in a long line of social events since they had children that Kate has declined to attend with her husband, who said recently he had to run decisions ‘by the missus’.
Princess Charlotte was born in May and Prince George turned two in July.
The couple attended dozens of weddings in the run-up to their own nuptials in 2011, but Kate went to none in the two years afterwards. William has been to at least five weddings on his own.
When the Prince was an usher at the wedding of his close friend Tom van Straubenzee in 2013, Kate was seen on a shopping trip.
In her absence, William is reported to have knocked part of his tooth out at the reception.
It is just the latest in a long line of social events since they had children that Kate has declined to attend with her husband, pictured with Prince George
The couple attended a friend's wedding together in Switzerland in 2013. They are rarely both seen at social events
The Duchess has also missed other important social events, such as the christening of Zara Phillips’s daughter, Mia, last December.
Her absence was particularly surprising as Zara had been named godmother to Prince George.
The most recent wedding William and Kate are believed to have attended together was that of their friends Tom Eaves and Libby Keir last year.
A Kensington Palace spokesman declined to comment.
The Duchess has also missed other important social events, such as the christening of Zara Phillips’s daughter, pictured with her husband in 2011
Four weddings... and a funeral: There's Wills with Harry and even Chelsy, but no Kate
Before they married, Kate rarely missed a chance to be by the Prince’s side at major events.
But the Duchess of Cambridge’s absence from a number of key social occasions over the past few years is said to be raising eyebrows among the couple's high society friends
Prior to missing this weekend's wedding, Kate had been absent from her husband’s side at least four weddings. She also missed the christening of Zara Phillips’s daughter Mia, despite being seen shopping in Norfolk three days beforehand.
All by himself: Harry and William were together at the 2014 wedding of Victoria Inskip, sister of Harry's best friend (left), while William went to Guy Pelly's wedding to American heiress Lizzy Wilson last year (right)
Solo: William went to Eton friend James Meade's wedding to Lady Laura Marsham in Norfolk in 2013
One of the most significant weddings she missed was that of William’s closest friend Tom van Straubenzee who married Lady Melissa Percy, the Duke of Northumberland’s daughter, in 2013. William was the couple's usher, but Kate was pictured shopping.
In May last year, Kate also remained in Britain as William’s pal Guy Pelly tied the knot with socialite Lizzy Wilson in Memphis. When Victoria Inskip was married - who is the sister of Prince Harry's best friend - William was spotted at the event with his brother, rather than his wife.
In 2013, William went solo to the wedding of his Eton friend James Meade.
Friends: He was also seen with Chelsy Davy at Tom van Straubenzee's wedding to Melissa Percy in 2013
Not just weddings: In 2012 William was alone as he paid his respects to nanny Olga Powell (left), while Kate missed the baptism of Zara and Mike Tindall's baby Mia in December (right)
Spotted: Kate has only been to one polo match this year, which was at the Beaufort Club in June
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