The Princess of Wales delighted well-wishers with a lengthy and warm-hearted walkabout as the Royal Family marked Christmas Day with their traditional church service at Sandringham. Despite the bitter cold, hundreds gathered to greet the monarchy, creating a festive scene under clear Norfolk skies.
A Festive Gathering in the Frost
Led by King Charles and Queen Camilla, the royals attended a service of carols and prayers at St Mary Magdalene Church on the King's private estate. The congregation included a full complement of senior working royals, with notable attendees such as the Princess Royal, Zara and Mike Tindall, and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.
One significant absence was the King's brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who remains stripped of his royal titles. Reports suggest he spent Christmas at Royal Lodge, Windsor, ahead of a planned move to a smaller property on the Sandringham estate. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, however, chose to join the wider family celebration, attending the service with their husbands.
Kate's Mammoth Meet-and-Greet
Following the service, the Princess of Wales, alongside the Prince of Wales and their three children, spent considerable time chatting with the public lining the route back to Sandringham House. While most of the family headed indoors, Kate remained for almost twenty minutes, engaging with dozens of admirers and accepting armfuls of flowers, which were later carried by police officers.
Princess Charlotte, aged eight, particularly charmed the crowd. She shared a hug with regular attendee Gemma Clark, 45, who had presented the young princess with a bookmark and a ballerina brooch. "I asked Charlotte for a hug and she said yes, it was absolutely amazing," Ms Clark said. "I wasn't surprised, she's given me hugs in the past."
Gifts and Festive Cheer
The royal children received an array of presents from the public, from soft toys to chocolates and games. Paul Clark, 75, gave Prince William a set of origami model planes for his sons. William remarked that Prince George would likely be able to name all the historic aircraft, which included Spitfires and Hurricanes.
Another well-wisher, Tom Hirst, recounted how William had joked with his children about their chocolate gifts, telling them "you'd better brush your teeth." The Queen and the Princess Royal added splashes of festive colour in their red coats, while the Princess of Wales opted for a brown tweed-style outfit.
After the public engagements, the family were expected to enjoy a traditional turkey lunch, likely sourced from Norfolk, and to watch the King's Christmas message together at 3pm. The royals follow the German tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve, and this year's festive film at Sandringham was reported to be Gurinder Chadha's Christmas Karma, a modern take on A Christmas Carol.
