Christmas plans at Kate and William's home axed due to increasing tension
Kate and William will no longer have an ice rink in their back garden
PA
Princess Kate and Prince William were due to have an ice rink in their back garden this Christmas as part of the event ICE at Kensington Palace, however, it has now been cancelled.
Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son, organised the "magical winter event", due to be built on a helipad in the grounds of Kensington Palace - the London home of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The event has been cancelled "to prioritise public safety during a period of heightened tension" in the capital city.
Kensington Palace is a stone's throw away from the Israeli embassy in London, where a huge pro-Palestinian protest erupted outside earlier this month.
Prince William and Princess Kate live in Kensington Palace
PA
Phillips founded his firm Tamarisk Events Ltd with his business partner Robert Derry in February.
He confirmed to royal fans that all pre-ordered tickets for 2023 would be refunded.
Princess Anne's son is also looking forward to welcoming visitors to next year's event.
The founders said in a statement: "In developing the plans for ICE at Kensington Palace, our primary concern has always been the safety and enjoyment of our visitors.
Kensington Palace was due to have an ice rink
PA
"In light of recent events, and during a period of heightened tension and uncertainty in the area, we have taken the decision to postpone the planned event for this year as the safety and security of the public continues to be our priority.
"We are hugely grateful to the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, our partners, local businesses and the wider community who have worked with us over recent months, and we look forward to returning in 2024 to deliver a magical, festive experience that everyone can enjoy."
Ice At Kensington Palace was promoted as "a magical winter event with sustainability at its core".
Phillips said these values were inspired by his uncle, King Charles, and his Earth Charter project, Terra Carta.
Peter Phillips would have been in charge of the event
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Phillips, 45, admitted it was his idea to use the London palace as the backdrop for the ice rink.
He said: "I've obviously done a number of events in central London and on this site, so we looked at it and we started to come up with some plans.
"And then started to approach the household in the manner that you have to approach them, to be able to plant the seed and see if we could make something happen," he told Hello!.
The 2,800 square metre rink was due to open from November 30 to January 7.
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