Prince William and Kate Missed at Sandringham Church Services on Sunday

Caption: The Queen receives a bouquet of flowers from a child outside Sandringham church Photo: Alban Donohoe 

The Duke and Duchess spent Christmas Day with the Middleton family in Bucklebury, Berkshire, but it was thought they would join other members of the Royal Family for a service at the Queen’s Norfolk residence on Sunday.

Instead the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, attended the service at St Mary Magdalene Church without them.

Buckingham Palace would not comment on the reasons for the pair’s decision not to attend, although sources suggest that Prince William, a Royal Air Force pilot, is on standby for search and rescue duties between Christmas and New Year.

It is understood they paid a brief visit to the Queen's Norfolk residence earlier in the week, during which they attended a shoot on the estate but left before today's church service. Click link for full post from THE TELEGRAPH