Princess Kate's annual Christmas carol service is just around the corner on December 5, and amid the festive cheer at Westminster Abbey, there's also the question of whether certain members of the Royal Family will attend. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has never gone to the concert—and is understood to have never received an invitation, in any case—but his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are regular fixtures at the Together at Christmas event.
This year, the York sisters' attendance is unclear amid dad Andrew's title-stripping scandal and eviction from Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace announced that The King had removed the former Duke of York's titles and honors, including his prince title, on October 30. However, Beatrice and Eugenie are still princesses, and their royal status has remained intact.
Whether they want to face the public and U.K. media at the carol concert is another story. British broadcaster Neil Sean told Fox News Digital that the sisters "received personal invitations" from Princess Kate's office for this year's concert, but the situation "puts the sisters in a very difficult dilemma."
"If they don’t attend, it looks like they’re snubbing a prestigious invite," Sean said. "If they do attend, they know there could be a media circus with them at the center of attention."
In terms of the guest list, Sean added, "This is Catherine’s project, and she has the final say—very similar to the way Prince William operates Earthshot. Above all, yes, the Royal Family wants to be seen as united amid what has been a very difficult year."
While Beatrice and Eugenie have generally kept a low profile over the past month, Princess Eugenie did attend a mentoring event for The King's Foundation in mid-November. Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice took on several engagements related to Borne, the premature birth charity where she serves as patron.
According to Vanity Fair, King Charles is also considering giving his nieces more royal rules in the future, but is currently "testing the water" with public opinion.
As for the carol concert, held at Westminster Abbey, this year's theme will celebrate love in all its forms, with Kensington Palace noting, "In a world that can often feel fragmented and disconnected, love is the force that reconnects us all—spanning generations, communities, cultures, and faiths."
