Why Kate Middleton Refuses to Attend the Met Gala Despite Being Anna Wintour’s #1 Choice

Pretty much every single major celebrity has attended the Met Gala at one point or another, but one person who hasn’t RSVP’d yes? Kate Middleton. The Princess of Wales has never attended the annual gala, despite—allegedly!—being at the very top of Anna Wintour’s invite list, and being no stranger to red carpets:

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It’s not unheard of for royals to attend the Met—specifically Princess Diana, who showed up in 1996 wearing Dior and some seriously major sapphire and pearl jewelry, which Kate owns nowadays!

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A source tellsRob Shutterthat Anna personally asked the Princess of Wales to attend, saying “Kate is the one celebrity Anna wants and cannot get. That is the obsession.”

“This was never only about Diana,” the source adds. “Anna wanted Kate because Kate is the ultimate prize.”

Another insider alleges that Anna tried to get King Charles and Queen Camilla to convince Kate to attend, and that “Kate understood exactly what was being asked. This was not simply an invitation. It was an attempt to make her the defining image of the night—and she had no interest in playing that role. She was never going to turn herself—or Diana — into a Met Gala moment.”

Fair enough! But never say never, since Kate has close relationships with plenty of fashion designers, and depending on what future themes come into play, there could be a world where she attends the Met Gala to support them.