Kate Middleton snubs Queen dinner

Dec 31, 2009, 12:03 GMT

Britain?s Kate Middleton reportedly turned down an invite to have a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace.

The longtime girlfriend of future king Prince William was asked to attend by his grandmother Queen Elizabeth and join the rest of the royal family, but decided against it because she felt it would too much attention on her romance.

A source said: "Kate has enormous respect and admiration for the queen and was very flattered to be asked. But, if she?d been there, it would have caused too much disruption for everyone else. The very last thing she wants to do is rock the boat so, between them, she and William said they would rather wait another year until something official is out there. It was not a snub to the queen, who seemed to understand how the couple felt.?

Aides say Kate, 27, could have gone to the whole event or just the drinks reception beforehand, where everyone exchanges presents.

Although she was invited to the pre-Christmas lunch, Kate was not allowed to attend the royal family?s festive celebrations at Sandringham, because she and William aren?t married.

An insider said: "Outsiders, even those as close as Kate, haven't had an invite this year. That's the way it is. Kate just has to lump it."

The couple are widely tipped to announce their engagement in 2010.