Prince William Drives Prince Harry and Family to Buckingham Place for Pre-Christmas Lunch
Queen Elizabeth II hosts the annual lunch for members of the royal family.
— -- It was a royal family affair today as members of the royal family arrived at Buckingham Palace for Queen Elizabeth II's annual pre-Christmas lunch.
Prince William, 34, was photographed behind the wheel driving his family, including Princess Kate, to see "Gan Gan," as William and Kate's 3-year-old son, Prince George, calls his great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.
Prince Harry, 32, joined the Cambridges for the ride to Buckingham Palace, sitting in the front passenger seat next to William, while Kate sat in the back seat with George and 19-month-old Princess Charlotte.
Prince Charles and Camilla arrived to today's lunch with their driver, while other members of the royal family, including Prince Andrew and his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, were also photographed arriving at Buckingham Palace.
The pre-Christmas lunch is an annual tradition which allows Queen Elizabeth to catch up with her extended family, not all of whom are invited to her home at Sandringham for Christmas Day.
William and Kate will be spending Christmas this year at the home of Kate's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, in Bucklebury, Berkshire. William is very close to the Middletons, who will also be joined by Kate's sister, Pippa Middleton, and her new fiancé, financier James Matthews, and Kate and Pippa's brother, James Middleton.
Harry is expected this year at the royal family's celebrations at Sandringham. The family enjoys a Christmas Eve celebration followed by church at St. Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day and then a Christmas lunch. The day after Christmas, Prince Philip holds a Boxing Day event for family and friends.
The Middletons have attended church and Boxing Day festivities with the royal family in the past, but this will be their first chance to spend Christmas at their Bucklebury estate with George and 19-month-old Princess Charlotte.
Yesterday, William, Kate and Harry carried out their last public engagement before Christmas, appearing at a Christmas party at The Mix, a mental health youth center. William joked to the DJ working at The Mix, AJ King, that George might be on Santa's naughty list, or at least William and Kate's naughty list because he's been unwrapping presents early at the family's home.
"The Duke said they were all really excited about Christmas and that George is already opening his presents," King said. "He thought it was quite funny. That's kids for you, even the ones that are princes."