Kate Middleton turned down an invitation to pre-Christmas lunch with the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace, according to reports.
It was the first formal festive invitation Prince William’s girlfriend has received but the couple decided against attending.
Kate and William, both 27, were worried the extra attention would put too much pressure on their romance.
A close friend told a UK newspaper: “Kate has enormous respect and admiration for the Queen and was very flattered to be asked. But, if she’d been there, it would have caused too much disruption for everyone else. The very last thing she wants to do is rock the boat so, between them, she and William said they would rather wait another year until something official is out there. It was not a snub to the Queen, who seemed to understand how the couple felt.”
A senior aide said: “Kate could have gone to the whole event or simply to the drinks reception beforehand, where they stand around the tree and give presents.”
The couple are widely tipped to marry in 2010.
