The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not be flying into Britain to attend a party to honour Diana, Princess of Wales, The Telegraph can confirm.

The Sussexes and their children, Archie and Lili, will not be at the celebration, which will see 100 guests gather at Kensington Palace. 

Friends of the late Princess, including Sir Elton John, are said to be attending the event with the Duke of Cambridge. It is intended to thank donors who helped fund the statue of Diana unveiled in the summer on what would have been her 60th birthday.

The guest list is expected to include Diana’s friends, former staff and relatives on the Spencer side of the family.

Events had to be drastically downscaled due to the Covid pandemic, with the party postponed and the statue unveiling taking place in front of a small number of her closest circle.

Then, Prince William and Prince Harry made a brief appearance together in front of the cameras in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, joined by the Princess’s siblings Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes.