The Duchess of Cambridge was forced to pull out of a glitzy awards ceremony last night due to ‘childcare problems’.
Kate had to make her apologies after deciding to miss the Tusk Conservation Awards at the last minute, causing Prince William to attend the event solo.
Instead, Kate was forced to stay at home to look after their three children, Prince George, six, Princess Charlotte, four, and one-year-old Prince Louis.
It is understood one of the children was not feeling well and Kate felt she needed to stay behind as no one else could step in, although no official explanation was given.
Kate appeared to be in good spirits at a private reception at Kensington Palace just hours before the scheduled event.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have shared photos of a private reception they hosted for Tusk Award nominees and finalists at Kensington Palace yesterday afternoon
Kate pictured at the event, which was held shortly before a Kensington Palace spokesperson announced the Duchess would not attend the formal awards ceremony ‘due to the children’
Certainly the Duchess appeared to be in good spirits at the private reception, pictured
She looked typically polished in a favourite green dress by Beulah London as she mingled with nominees and finalists.
The duchess paired her dress with a pair of simple gold hoops and wore her brunette locks in a signature bouncy blow dry.
There was widespread speculation surrounding Kate’s last-minute cancellation, which was out of character for the dutiful Duchess.
The Cambridges’ most prominent nanny is Maria Borrallo, who joined the royal household in 2014 when Prince George was just eight months old.
Trained at the prestigious Norland College, Borrallo lives at Kensington Palace with the family, but she was seemingly unable to look after the children last night.
By comparison, Prince Harry and Meghan are already onto their third nanny since the birth of baby Archie in May.
The Cambridges’ most prominent nanny is Maria Borrallo (shown with the Queen, the Cambridges and Prince George in 2015)
The couple are said to have found a good match with their current nanny, who is yet to be officially named.
The first nanny employed by the couple was reportedly not kept on over reports she was ‘unprofessional’, and the second was only employed to work night shifts.
Instead of joining her husband at the event in London’s Leicester Square last night, Kate met the award finalists earlier in the day for tea at Kensington Palace.
William was met at the event by Sir Kenneth Olisa, the Lord Lieutenant of London, before walking the green carpet.
Welcoming the prince during the ceremony, Tusk chief executive Charlie Mayhew told him: ‘From the outset you have taken such a close personal interest in the individuals that we look to recognise each year.
‘I know how much the finalists appreciated meeting you and the duchess in private today.
Prince William attended the Tusk Conservation Awards in London alone this evening, after his wife Kate was forced to miss the event ‘due to the children’
‘It means a great deal to them that you both care so much about preserving the natural world.’
William looked dapper as he arrived to cheers and loud drumming from the UK-based Ghanaian band One Drum.
As patron of the charity, he presented three awards at the ceremony to mark conservation efforts in Africa.
Last night Prince William looked dashing in a royal blue suit with a white shirt and textured tie as he arrived at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square for the awards this evening, before joining a reception at the National Portrait Gallery.
It has been a difficult week for the Royal Family; yesterday Prince Andrew announced he is stepping back from public duties ‘for the forseeable future’, over his involvement with billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
The Duke of Cambridge stands to watch a performance by a traditional African music group as he arrives for the Tusk Conservation Awards in Leicester Square
Prince William shows his appreciation for the traditional African music as he arrives to attend The Tusk Conservation Awards presentation ceremony