The real reason we haven't seen Prince William and Kate Middleton this year, and it's got nothing to do with Prince Harry

Prince William and Kate Middleton have been notably absent from the public eye amid Prince Harry's bombshell memoir claims, but their low profile isn't for the reason you might think. 

• Prince William and Kate have been notably absent from the public eye as claims from Prince Harry's bombshell memoir continue to make headlines, but it's not for the reason you might think.
• The Prince and Princess of Wales were last seen in public on Christmas Day at Sandringham, where they took part in the Royal Family's annual festive walkabout. 
• In other royal news, Prince Harry calls Camilla 'dangerous' and 'the villain' but denies 'scathing' accusation.
  

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been notably absent from the spotlight as Prince Harry's shocking claims about the Royal Family in his forthcoming book continue to make headlines. 

The Duke of Sussex's first memoir, Spare, is set to hit shelves on January 10, following a whirlwind week of promotion for the bombshell tell-all. Two pre-recorded interviews with the 38-year-old royal discussing the book aired on Sunday, one for the UK with ITV and another for the US on CBS. 

In extracts from a leaked copy obtained by the Guardian last week, Prince Harry alleges Prince William 'knocked' him to the floor at Nottingham Cottage during an argument about his wife, Meghan Markle. The duke also claims the Prince and Princess of Wales 'laughed' at the Nazi uniform he wore to a fancy dress party in 2005 and claimed that William did not like having him at their former boarding school, Eton College. Elsewhere in the book, Prince Harry says that he felt Prince William was ‘gone forever’ after his 2011 marriage to Kate Middleton. 

More revelations are expected to come after copies of the book went on sale early in Spain. 

Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace have declined to comment on the Duke of Sussex's claims. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton have also been undeniably low-profile amid Prince Harry's shocking claims, leaving some royal fans wondering about their whereabouts. 

The couple made their last public appearance on Christmas Day at Sandringham, where they were joined by other members of the Royal Family for its annual walkabout outside St. Mary Magdalene Church. It's understood they then spent the final days of December at Amner Hall in Norfolk with their three children, before heading to Berkshire to celebrate the New Year with the Middletons. 

Prince William and Kate Middleton have likely returned to their family home at Adelaide Cottage by now, but their break from the limelight is expected to continue for at least a few more days. The royal parents are almost definitely busy with their family duties right now, as they prepare Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4, to go back to school following their long winter break. The Wales children will begin their second term at Lambrook on Wednesday, 11 January, after enjoying a three-week vacation from their studies. They won't have another break from school until February 10, when the highly-anticipated half-term commences. 

The Princess of Wales's birthday is also today (January 9), so it's likely she's taking some time to celebrate the occasion in the privacy of her Windsor home. Kate Middleton has already received a birthday message on Twitter and Instagram from King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who have also yet to return to work from their Christmas break. 

Kate's first public engagement of 2022 saw the royal visit the Foundling Museum in London on January 19, where she learned more about the care sector and met representatives from across the system. Joined by Prince William, the former Duchess of Cambridge wore a stunning teal blue coat and gold Accessorize earrings for the local outing.