Princess Kate is set to miss a glitzy reception as King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William step out tonight.
The King will tonight host a glittering white tie and tiara reception at Buckingham Palace for the country's leading diplomats.
Queen Camilla and the Prince of Wales will join other family members attending, but the Princess of Wales is not expected to join them.
Kate, 42, announced a slow and measured return to royal duties in September after the conclusion of her cancer treatment.
Princess Kate set to miss glitzy reception as Charles, Camilla and William step out
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She underwent major abdominal surgery in January after which doctors discovered cancer had been present and recommended a course of preventative chemotherapy.
Kate is currently focusing on organising her annual carol concert at Westminster Abbey early next month.
Tonight's reception is one of the highlights of the royal calendar.
It will see the King and Queen welcome more than 500 members of the 'Diplomatic Corps' to the State Rooms at the Palace, highlighting the crucial role the monarch plays at the heart of British diplomacy.
The Diplomatic Corps Reception usually takes place in December but had to be rescheduled
PA
The event is normally held on the first Tuesday in December but has been brought forward as it would have clashed with a State Visit of the Amir of Qatar this year.
The guest list includes all ambassadors and High Commissioners at the foreign missions in London, former Prime Ministers, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and other leading public figures.
Spouses are also invited, meaning more than 1,500 guests are expected to attend from around 130 different countries, making it the biggest reception held at the Palace all year.
For men, the dress code is national dress, white tie or court dress, which involves knee breeches for male members of the British Royal Family.
Princess Kate wearing a tiara at the reception in 2018
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Princess Kate and Prince William photographed together at the Diplomatic Corps Reception in 2023
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For women, it is also national dress or long evening dress, as well as tiaras for the royals.
Each year, there is a greeting line along which members of the Royal Family move down to welcome their guests, followed by a drinks reception, a buffet dinner and dancing in the Ballroom.
Guests in the line are normally organised by diplomatic precedence, namely the length of their time in office.
After the formalities, members of the Royal Family circulate among their guests chatting but normally leave before the dancing begins.
