Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte and Prince George took centre stage on Christmas morning as they joined the Prince and Princess of Wales on their traditional walk to the church service on the family’s Sandringham Estate.
The three grinning children held hands with Kate and William as they walked past throngs of well-wishers on the way to St Mary Magdalene Church.
George, 11, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six, were all dressed in matching navy coats, with cheery Charlotte sporting a dark green bow in her hair. Kate was also colour-coordinated with her children, wearing a green coat and hat for the occasion.
The family looked in good spirits as they paused to speak to the on-lookers who had been waiting to see the royals walk to the church. Some had arrived to bag their spots on Christmas Eve and camped out overnight.
The family, including the King and Queen, gathered for a photo outside the church. They were greeted by the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Rhys Williams before they headed inside, with the national anthem being sung before the first hymn, “O Come, All Ye Faithful”.
Charlotte was pictured waving to the crowds as she clutched a bunch of white roses and a Cadbury’s chocolate selection box. George had also been gifted a white teddy bear and some Cadbury’s chocolates.
Earlier this year, William described the past year, in which his wife and father were treated for cancer, as “brutal”.
He said that 2024 has “probably been the hardest year in my life” and a “dreadful” experience. He was pictured smiling outside the church on Christmas morning holding the various chocolates that his children had collected from royal fans.
Other royals who attended the Christmas Day service included the Princess Royal, and Princess Beatrice, along with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and stepson Christopher Woolf.
Beatrice wore a coat from the Net-A-Porter for The King’s Foundation collection, designed by students from the foundation’s modern artisan education programme.
Lady Sarah Chatto, the daughter of the late Princess Margaret, also attended, as did Zara Tindall, with her daughter Lena Elizabeth Tindall.
Absent was the Duke of York, who has recently been in the news for his connections to an alleged Chinese spy.
Andrew had joined the family at church for the last two years in succession, but was said to be preparing to spend Christmas Day with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York this year.
They were expected to spend Christmas at Royal Lodge, the home they share in Windsor Great Park, Berkshire.
Members of the public who gathered outside St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham listened to the service and were handed orders of service so they could follow along.
After the service, which lasted around 45 minutes, members of the royal family spoke to some of the visitors.
Karen Maclean, from North Lincolnshire, spoke with both Charles and Kate and gave the princess a hug.
The 73-year-old, who is retired, said she had had “20 years of cancer” and spoke about the disease with the King and his daughter-in-law after their own health issues this year.
“We just had a little talk about cancer, really,” said Ms Maclean.
“I’ve met the King before. He said to me ‘I can remember you,’ I’m thinking ‘What!’, like many years ago?”
She said that Charles and Kate seemed “very well actually, considering what they’re going through”.
She added after hugging Kate: “What a privilege.”
