When Michael and Carole Middleton touched down in the Caribbean last week for the start of their annual vacation on the island of Mustique, royal fans were on high alert for Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. The pair usually join Kate's parents on the yearly getaway to celebrate Carole's birthday on January 31. But this year the royal couple were nowhere to be seen.
Why would they skip out this year? It's likely that their focus instead is on their young family. William and Kate's young son Prince George only recently started attending the Westacre Montessori School in Norfolk and his parents were no doubt reluctant to upset his new preschool routine.
William and Kate decided not to attend the Middleton family holiday in Mustique this year Photo: Getty Images
A source tells HELLO! that George is settling into his new surroundings very well – so that could be one reason a vacation at this early stage would have been too disruptive for the Prince. George's little sister Princess Charlotte is now 9 months old and in a routine of her own, which would have been disturbed by the long flight, and 4-hour time difference.William, meanwhile, has commitments keeping him in the U.K. Both he and Kate have a busy year ahead with royal engagements, and so the father of two is hoping to fit in as many shifts for his current job as a pilot with the East Anglia Air Ambulance as he can in the next few months, before his official work takes over.
The royal couple have a busy year ahead, including an upcoming tour of India Photo: Getty Images
In the spring, the Duke and Duchess will embark on a tour of India together – their first official overseas tour since their three-day stay in New York in December 2014 – and they will also be at the forefront of a series of celebrations in honor of Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday. "They want to play a full role in supporting the Queen's service to the country and to the Commonwealth in her 90th year," an insider told HELLO!. "Supporting the Queen is a top priority for them and they will play a full part in joining her for major events."