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Prince William on military duty for Christmas
Source: Agencies |
December 22, 2010, Wednesday
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HOME for the holidays? Not Prince William.
The soon-to-be-married prince's military commitment will spare him and Kate Middleton the sometimes agonizing choice that bedevils many young couples in the months before a wedding: Which side of the family to spend Christmas with.
The choice between Queen Elizabeth II's Sandringham Estate in rural Norfolk, where the royal family usually spends Christmas, and the Middletons' more modest but still spacious residence west of London has been taken out of William's hands by the Ministry of Defense.
The second in line to the British throne will be on military assignment on Christmas Day, keeping him away from the royal family's traditional celebration. The assignment gives him a good excuse: Neither side of the family can be offended, since he will be doing his patriotic duty.
If William has mince pie - a sugary English holiday staple often made with fruit and raisins - it will probably be industrial strength, mass produced fare at the Royal Air Force base on Anglesey island off the coast of Wales where he serves as a helicopter rescue pilot. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be roughing it with the guys.
It's possible Middleton will be in Wales with him, if she opts for some private time with her fiance rather than a holiday with her parents, brother and sister in Bucklebury, the prosperous country village 80 kilometers west of London they call home.
Middleton's decision may offer insight into her priorities, but the public probably won't find out until the last minute as the palace refuses to disclose her plans.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said Middleton will likely spend Christmas with her family. "This would be her last non-royal Christmas. In the past, once you marry into the fold, you're expected to be at Sandringham forevermore, but that may be changing these days. Once they're married, I think they'll be at Sandringham occasionally but not every year."
New Year's Eve plans are secret, so far. William's staff is not disclosing his plans, and some veterans of military service say it is unlikely he would be shackled with a New Year's shift after working on Christmas Day.
The soon-to-be-married prince's military commitment will spare him and Kate Middleton the sometimes agonizing choice that bedevils many young couples in the months before a wedding: Which side of the family to spend Christmas with.
The choice between Queen Elizabeth II's Sandringham Estate in rural Norfolk, where the royal family usually spends Christmas, and the Middletons' more modest but still spacious residence west of London has been taken out of William's hands by the Ministry of Defense.
The second in line to the British throne will be on military assignment on Christmas Day, keeping him away from the royal family's traditional celebration. The assignment gives him a good excuse: Neither side of the family can be offended, since he will be doing his patriotic duty.
If William has mince pie - a sugary English holiday staple often made with fruit and raisins - it will probably be industrial strength, mass produced fare at the Royal Air Force base on Anglesey island off the coast of Wales where he serves as a helicopter rescue pilot. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be roughing it with the guys.
It's possible Middleton will be in Wales with him, if she opts for some private time with her fiance rather than a holiday with her parents, brother and sister in Bucklebury, the prosperous country village 80 kilometers west of London they call home.
Middleton's decision may offer insight into her priorities, but the public probably won't find out until the last minute as the palace refuses to disclose her plans.
Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said Middleton will likely spend Christmas with her family. "This would be her last non-royal Christmas. In the past, once you marry into the fold, you're expected to be at Sandringham forevermore, but that may be changing these days. Once they're married, I think they'll be at Sandringham occasionally but not every year."
New Year's Eve plans are secret, so far. William's staff is not disclosing his plans, and some veterans of military service say it is unlikely he would be shackled with a New Year's shift after working on Christmas Day.
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