Prince William and Prince Harry’s step-brother, Tom Parker Bowles, Queen Camilla’s son from her previous relationship with Andrew Parker Bowles, has revealed he’s not going to be around the royal table this Christmas – and nor will his sister, Laura Lopes.
They’re not the only ones spending the festive period away from The Firm: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will likely remain posted out in California for the holidays, while Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (AKA the artist formerly known as Prince Andrew) and Sarah Ferguson (the former Duchess of York) have been decidedly uninvited following a slew of scandals.
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Speaking about his plans for this year’s big day, Tom said he’ll be with his ex-wife, Sara, and their two teenage children, Lola and Freddy.
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“I’m not [spending Christmas at Sandringham]. Nor is my sister,” he told the Daily Mail. “It’ll be every other year, one year on, one year off.”
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Prince William and Prince Harry pictured with their step-siblings, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes on their parents’ wedding day
The food writer joked, “It’s back to the sofa at my ex-wife’s.”
Last year saw Tom spend Christmas at Sandringham for the first time, following King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.
“My mum said, ‘I’d love you to come, I haven’t had Christmas with you for a long time,'” he said, adding that he “genuinely know[s] nothing about [how they spend it, beyond knowing] there’s turkey and sprouts and church. And I have to bring a suit and a dinner jacket.”
Speaking to People magazine previously, Tom also shared that Queen Camilla and her ex-husband still maintain a friendly relationship.
“My mother and father are still great friends, and we will go down [to his] on December 27 and my mother will sometimes come,” he explained. “It is something to work towards. It’s a maturity that is a great thing if — despite a marriage sometimes not working – you can keep it together for the sake of the children and the sake of each other, then it’s a very good thing.”
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Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK’s multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She’s grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC’s Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women’s Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.