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Kate Middleton pulls out of Tusk Conservation Awards last-minute because of her children

The Duke of Cambridge will attend the awards solo

kate middleton black dress
Danielle Stacey
Online Royal CorrespondentLondon
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The Duchess of Cambridge has cancelled her appearance at the Tusk Conservation Awards on Thursday 20 November, Kensington Palace confirms. Kate was due to attend the gala with husband Prince William, but a royal source said the Duchess was no longer able to go to the event "due to the children" but would still meet finalists at a tea at Kensington Palace on Thursday afternoon. 

William will arrive solo at the Tusk Conservation Awards at the Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, before joining a reception at the National Portrait Gallery. The royal became patron of the charity in 2005 and last visited Tusk projects in Namibia and Tanzania in 2018. William will present three awards before delivering a short speech.

kate middleton with prince george and princess charlotte© Photo: Getty Images

William and Kate on the school run with George and Charlotte

The Duke and Duchess attended the Royal Variety Performance on Monday, where Kate wowed in a black lace Alexander McQueen dress. While chatting with performers before and after the show, the Duchess revealed that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis had wanted to go with them, but she had to tell them 'not on a school night!'

kate middleton at tusk awards© Photo: Getty Images

William and Kate at the Tusk Awards in 2018

George, six, and Charlotte, four, both attend Thomas's school in Battersea, where William and Kate are regulars on the school run. One-year-old Louis still has some time to wait before he starts going to nursery and it was revealed earlier this week that the Duchess reportedly loves taking the tot to Monkey Music lessons, when she's not carrying out royal duties. 

Kate currently has no further public engagements scheduled in her diary, but according to the Court Circular, she held an early years meeting at Kensington Palace and met representatives from the midwife profession on Wednesday.

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