The girlfriend of Prince William has reportedly turned down a rare invitation to
join the royal family for Christmas.
Kate Middleton, 24, has said she will only join them if she and the
future king get married, the Mail on Sunday reported.
Media speculation that the couple, together for four years since
meeting at St Andrews University in Scotland, could be about to get
engaged was fuelled when Middleton appeared Friday at William's graduation
from Sandhurst, the British military academy.
But despite their closeness, she has decided to spend the festive
season with her own family after the recent deaths of her two
grandmothers, the Mail reported.
"Kate has said she won't be going to Sandringham (the Queen's country
home) until she's a part of the family," the paper quoted a friend of
Middleton as saying.
"She has made it quite clear that she will only be at a royal Christmas
if she and William get married and that's not yet on the cards.
"We all know it's going to happen but it's not going to happen this
Christmas."
The friend reportedly added that Middleton and William keep a wall
chart with a tally of how many times newspapers predict they will get
married.
