Kate Middleton and Camilla Parker Bowles Were Reportedly Absent from the Royal Family Summit

Kate Middleton and Camilla Parker-Bowles were reportedly absent from the royal family summit that discussed Prince Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back.

After Prince Harry and Meghan dropped the bombshell announcement about their decision to step back as senior members of the royal family, the Queen ordered an emergency family meeting to address the matter.

However, two key senior female royals were reportedly absent from the critical summit. According to PEOPLE, Kate Middleton and Camilla Parker-Bowles didn’t join the rest of the family at the meeting to discuss the matter at hand.

While it might seem like there is trouble in royal paradise, the publication reveals that the monarch wanted the family summit to be an exclusive affair for her and her heirs.

In attendance were Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry. Although Kate and Camilla are bonafide members of the royal family, the meeting was limited to only the heads of each family ― only those born into the royal family.

The exception to the rule was Meghan, who reportedly joined the summit via phone from Canada. The reason why this happened was that the discussion specifically affected her.

IB Times revealed that the crisis meeting lasted for two-and-a-half hours, after which the monarch released a statement about her grandson’s departure.

"While the rest of the senior members were preparing for the summit, the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted leaving Kensington Palace."

As gathered by PEOPLE, the 93-year-old monarch expressed her unwavering support for Harry and Meghan and their decision to live independently.

She, however, mentioned that she wished things were different, saying:

“Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family."

Her Majesty also disclosed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have a transition period where they will spend time both in Canada and the United Kingdom.

HELLO! Magazine notes that while the rest of the senior members were preparing for the summit, the Duchess of Cambridge was spotted leaving Kensington Palace.

The 38-year-old royal was believed to have been running school errands as she was seen driving out of her and Prince William’s 1A apartment. The duchess remained in London with her three children while her husband joined the other heirs at Sandringham for the meeting.

Despite the tension in the royal family, the Sussexes didn’t forget to wish Kate a happy 38th birthday on January 9.

Per PEOPLE, Harry and Meghan took to the comments section of a birthday post by Kensington Palace to wish Kate “a very happy birthday.”