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    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    Why Meghan and Harry Reportedly Didn't Attend Kate's Birthday Celebrations

    The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton celebrated her 37th birthday earlier this month, but her brother- and sister-in-law Prince Harry and Meghan Markle weren't in attendance. Find out why here.

    Rachel Epstein#039;s avatar
    By Rachel Epstein
    Published 27 January 2019 In News

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    The Royal Family Attend Church On Christmas Day
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    Kate Middleton celebrated her 37th birthday earlier this month, but her brother- and sister-in-law Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly didn't attend the birthday festivities. Don't worry, though—it has nothing to do with the reported "tension" and "feud rumors" between Kate and Meghan the media has been talking about for months.

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    Strict Rules the Royal Family Has to Follow

    Every year, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge typically celebrate Kate's birthday with close friends at their Norfolk home near the Queen's Sandringham estate (where the whole royal family spends Christmas together). Think: people like Will's old friend Thomas van Straubenzee and Kate's best friend Sophie Carter, who attended Harry and Meghan's wedding last May (and also used to date, FYI). Kate and William invite them to "take part in a shoot and also attend church on Sunday with the Queen."

    "It wasn't a case of any rift. Just that, oftentimes, William and Kate spend time with their friends and certainly, Harry has not attended every birthday celebration," a royal source told Entertainment Tonight. "Kate and William have a close group of friends called the 'Turnip Toffs' based nearby their Anmer Hall home and they spend as much time there when their work in London allows."

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    So, no, there are no underlying issues between the Fab Four that caused Harry and Meg not to celebrate the day with the Cambridge's—just a simple case of Kate wanting to spend her birthday with friends. Even Wills had to be away from his wife for part of the day.

    For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.

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    Rachel Epstein
    Rachel Epstein
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    Rachel Epstein is a writer, editor, and content strategist based in New York City. Most recently, she was the Managing Editor at Coveteur, where she oversaw the site’s day-to-day editorial operations. Previously, she was an editor at Marie Claire, where she wrote and edited culture, politics, and lifestyle stories ranging from op-eds to profiles to ambitious packages. She also launched and managed the site’s virtual book club, #ReadWithMC. Offline, she’s likely watching a Heat game or finding a new coffee shop. 

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