Prince William May Be In For An Awkward Christmas Dinner Thanks To A Special Guest

Even royal members have to deal with uncomfortable situations and dysfunctional family drama during the holidays, and that includes William, Prince of Wales. Besides feuding with his younger brother, Prince Harry, the future king is also rumored to have beef with his stepbrother, Tom Parker Bowles, aka Queen Camilla's son. Tensions could rise this holiday because Tom may be joining the royal family's Christmas party — a first for him, despite his mother marrying King Charles III in 2005 and having a highly-publicized affair years before that.

"I keep getting asked what royal Christmases are like, but I've not actually been to one," Tom told Saga in November 2024. "I've talked to my mother about it and, from what I gather, it's fairly traditional: a decent-sized Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings, mince pies and Christmas pud." Tom said he usually spends Christmas with his ex-wife and their children, but this year is going to be different. While he hasn't officially declared he'll be stopping by the annual shindig, it's a strong possibility. So, Prince William better get his game face on if that happens. One way they could break the tension is by continuing the weird royal family holiday tradition of giving each other goofy gag gifts.

Being hounded by paparazzi over every move you make seems to go with the territory of being part of the royal family, but Tom Parker Bowles recognizes how much worse William, Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex had it when news broke about King Charles III's affair with Queen Camilla. However, though the trio shared that trauma bond, Tom still knows his place. "I learned a long time ago not to put my fat fingers into the world of William and Harry," he told The Telegraph, adding how he still commiserates about what they endured during that stressful time (via The Mirror).

It's unclear if Tom has any relationship at all with his stepbrothers, but sources told The Daily Beast back in October 2024 that Prince William won't go to the Christmas event if Tom is there. William and Camilla have a messy relationship and he allegedly doesn't support the way Tom chooses to live his life. 

Of course, if Tom does get the cold shoulder, he won't be the only one. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have already been snubbed for Christmas this year. Charles and Harry continue to be estranged, despite Harry reportedly trying to make contact with his father about his health. "His calls go unanswered," a royal source said (via People).