Prince Philip is not attending the Royal Family’s Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, Buckingham Palace said.
But the Duke of Edinburgh is in good health and is spending the day "privately", a palace spokesman insisted.
Meanwhile Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is also absent due to a heavy cold.
It comes as Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton were reunited at the Norfolk church for Christmas.
The four – who have been at the centre of rift rumours in recent weeks – were joined by Prince Charles as they walked into church.
Meghan and Kate looked like best mates as they smiled at each other outside the building.
Philip, 97, has been seen less frequently after retiring from public duties back in August 2017.
The Duke was last seen leaving a family Christmas lunch on Wednesday, December 19.
A royal source said today: "The duke is in perfectly good health, he is just spending the day privately."
The Duke of Edinburgh’s no-show meant the Queen arrived at church alone.
Prince Philip was absent from the Remembrance Sunday service in November too.
The Queen stood on the Buckingham Palace balcony afterwards without her husband by her side – accompanied by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Kate Middleton.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s last official public appearance was on August 2, 2017, when he attended the Captain General’s Parade at Buckingham Palace.
The Queen and Prince Philip recently celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary, back in November.
Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to see the royal family attend the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham.
Philip and Camilla did not join the rest of the royals as they made the short walk from the Queen’s Sandringham home to the nearby church of St Mary Magdalene.
Camilla also missed an appearance at the Olympia Horse Show last week due to a heavy cold and is believed to be still recovering from the bug.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Duke and Duchess of Sussex led the way with the Prince of Wales.
Kate and Meghan have been the subject of a series of media reports claiming there is a rift between the two duchesses.
But they walked side by side along the path that led to the church, talking together as they went.
Hundreds of royal fans braved the chilly conditions to catch a glimpse of members of the monarchy who traditionally spend part of the festive period with the Queen at Sandringham.
Many had brought bouquets of flowers or had got in the Christmas spirit by wearing Santa hats.
Kate and Meghan’s supposed rift allegedly reduced the Duchess of Cambridge to tears following a bridesmaid fitting for daughter Charlotte.
Meghan and Harry are moving away from Kensington Palace, the home and office space they share with William and Kate, to Frogmore Cottage in the grounds of Windsor Castle next year.
Read More
The Royals at Christmas
-
What the Royals do on Christmas Day
-
Royal Christmas traditions
-
Photos of the Royals at Christmas
-
What the Queen eats at Christmas
-
Meghan ‘will be weighed’
-
No presents on Christmas Day
-
Kate’s savage present
-
Why Queen didn’t do speech in 1969
Source: Read Full Article