‘She very much knew what was going on in my career as I was growing up, you got to see her real passion and love for the horses and that side of her,’ Zara said following her grandmother’s death.
Princess Anne’s husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, was also absent. This was a more surprising absence, considering how often he joins the Princess Royal on her official engagements. It may have been that the King and the Queen were keen to keep the guest list restricted to current or former working royals.
Royal watchers had hoped to catch a glimpse of the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s children, too, but both Lady Louise Windsor, 22, and James, Earl of Wessex, 18, were not present at Buckingham Palace. Lady Louise, often described as Queen Elizabeth’s ‘favourite granddaughter’, is likely busy with her studies at the University of St Andrews, while her younger brother is also preparing for his A-level exams this summer.
Lady Louise Windsor and the Earl of Wessex did not attend the Buckingham Palace reception, perhaps focussing on their studies instead
Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images
Also absent were the late Queen’s great-grandchildren, including Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. The Wales children started a new term at Lambrook School this week, marking the end of the Easter Holidays. Both Prince William and the Princess of Wales are keen to ensure that the children have as normal an education as possible, and no doubt the family will have marked the centenary of Elizabeth II amongst themselves.