Prince George and Princess Charlotte spent Easter with the Middletons, while Prince William and a very pregnant Kate Middleton broke royal protocol

Prince George and Princess Charlotte may have spent an idyllic washed-out Easter weekend with their grandparents but things didn’t go quite so swimmingly for Prince William and a very pregnant Kate Middleton, as the couple broke royal protocol due to a scheduling slip-up on Easter Sunday.

Prince William and Kate Middleton reportedly spent the Easter weekend with the Middleton family in Berkshire, meaning that Prince George and Princess Charlotte would have been able to enjoy some quality time with their grandparents Carole and Michael.

However, staying at Kate’s family home in Bucklebury for the weekend didn’t mean that the royal couple could skip the annual Easter Day service that is attended by the royal family in St George’s Chapel at Winsor Castle every year.

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St George’s Chapel, Winsor Castle is where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will tie the knot in May, however despite this the engaged couple did not attend the annual Easter Service along with the rest of the royals.

Unlike his brother Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton did not break tradition and were in attendance at the service, however the royal couple did manage to break royal protocol thanks to a tricky timing issue!

As with most royal events and official engagements, the royal family tend to arrive in order of rank and status, with the Queen almost always arriving last.

Queen Elizabeth II leaves the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, followed by Prince William and Kate in the correct royal order

Queen Elizabeth II leaves the Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, followed by Prince William and Kate

On Easter Sunday, as is tradition and following protocol, the royals were seen arriving at the church, before waiting outside for Her Majesty.

However, Prince William and Kate were no where to be seen. Even after the Queen arrived and was greeted by the rest of the royals, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were still absent from the line-up of family members waiting to enter the church.

Peter Phillips and Autumn Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and her husband-to-be Jack Brooksbank greet the Queen as she arrives at the Easter Sunday service

Peter Phillips and Autumn Phillips, Zara Tindall, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and her husband-to-be Jack Brooksbank greet the Queen as she arrives at the Easter Sunday service

Prince William and a very pregnant Kate Middleton eventually arrived by car - slightly after the 10:45am scheduled start time of the church service and after the Queen - breaking royal protocol.

It transpired that the royal couple were stuck in traffic and had been made late by roadworks on the M4.

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Prince William and Kate, who is weeks away from giving birth to the couple’s third child, were quickly ushered into the chapel upon arrival.

Prince George and Princess Charlotte did not accompany their parents to the Easter Service, and were presumably left in the capable hands of Kate’s parents at the family home in Bucklebury.