The reason for the omission of a senior member of the Royal Family during a Christmas tradition has been revealed.
The Royal Family carried out the tradition of walking to church in Sandringham on Christmas Day, but one of the most prominent royals was notably missing.
Princess Anne is one of the busiest royals when it comes to official visits and duties, having carried out 214 engagements this year, but the King’s sister was not present on Sunday morning. The 72-year-old did not join her children Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, and other family members for the festive service because of a cold, as reported by The Mirror.
The Princess Royal is now understood to be resting after a busy year in which she has also lost her mother.
The hardest-working royal was also not able to attend Kate’s Westminster Abbey carol service, which aired last night, but this was reportedly down to a conflict in schedules, not illness.
Princess Anne attended the London International Horse Show at ExCel London on December 15, which was when the festive carol service took place.
The King and Queen Consort Camilla were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, for the Christmas morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church in the Norfolk estate.
Prince Louis was missing from the Together At Christmas carol service but stole hearts once again on Christmas morning as he appeared to tug at his mum as he grew restless from the attention.
Also making an appearance ahead of the annual Christmas service were Zara and Mike Tindall, Edward and Sophie Wessex with Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as well as Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his son Wolfie.
Prince Andrew, who was stripped of his titles following outrage at his relationship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, surprised the public by making an appearance after reports King Charles had him ‘thrown out’ of Buckingham Palace. Andrew was seen alongside his youngest daughter Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.
This Christmas marks the family’s first without the late Queen following her death in September. The late monarch had spent the last two Christmases at Windsor Castle due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
