The Palace has confirmed that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will not be attending the wedding of the Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Belgian-born Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy.
"The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will not be able to attend the wedding due to prior work and private commitments".
In June, the Wort, one of Luxembourg's leading newspapers, reported that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would be attending the wedding. They have continued to report this statement as fact. But in June, I wrote that I did not think that the Cambridges would attend the Luxembourg wedding. (Yes, it would be a great way to meet other European royals, but it would have been unusual for the Queen to send the second in line to the throne to the wedding of an heir apparent.
The Duke of Edinburgh represented the Queen at the wedding of Guillaume's parents in 1981. The representative to this wedding may be the Prince of Wales or the Earl and Countess of Wessex.
Moreover, the British press would have flocked to Luxembourg, and focused their attention on Catherine, and not the bride. I also think a good percentage of the European press would have more interested in what the Duchess was wearing, and not the bride's gown.
I wrote this post in June.
http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2012/06/totally-skeptical-of-this-report.html
http://www.wort.lu/en/view/kate-and-will-s-luxembourg-wedding-attendance-undecided-5048667fe4b0ca14dcff254a#.UEih9_p7G7U.twitter
Much as I would like to see them going I have to agree I don't think it was ever on the cards. As Marlene says the place would be swamped with press from not just the UK, but all the paparazzi and all focusing on the British couple or more likely Catherine and not the poor bride whose day would be overshadowed. Not very fair on the hosts, the bridal couple and the increased security that their presence would require. I'm sure the British court have considered this more than worrying about the Cambridges meeting up with their European 'cousins'.
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