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Prince William Hosts Lavish Tea Party at Buckingham Palace—But Where Was Kate Middleton?

Prince William clearly acquired his grandmother’s hosting skills, because he recently threw an elegant tea party to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the NHS.

Per the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s official Instagram account, the event, called Big Tea, “paid tribute to the incredible work of NHS staff who have gone above and beyond to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic.” Organized by NHS Charities Together, an organization made up of 240 NHS member charities, the Big Tea saw communities come together for a moment of reflection and to thank NHS staff and volunteers.

In addition to William’s event at Buckingham Palace, thousands of homes, hospitals, schools and community spaces across the U.K. also marked the occasion. Lucky for us, Will shared a series of snaps and videos from the occasion on social media.

Unfortunately, while the celebration was planned by William and his wife, Kate Middleton, she was unable to attend, due to her recent exposure to COVID-19. She is currently quarantining as a result.

“Last week, The Duchess of Cambridge came into contact with someone who has subsequently tested positive for COVID-19," a spokesperson for the palace said in a statement per People. “Her Royal Highness is not experiencing any symptoms, but is following all relevant government guidelines and is self-isolating at home.”

The duke and duchess became patrons of NHS Charities Together last year and have since shown their support through a variety of virtual events and social media post. While we’re sure Middleton was disappointed to not be able to co-host with her husband, William seemed happy to hold down the fort while his wife took care of her health.

We love a good royal tea party, especially one that’s for a great cause.

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