The Prince and Princess of Wales made a cheerful appearance on Christmas Day, joining the royal family for the traditional church service at St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate.
This marked Prince William and Princess Kate’s first public outing with their three children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—since Kate hosted her Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on December 6.
The family had missed King Charles’ pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace, having already traveled to Norfolk for the children’s school holidays.
The young royals shyly waved to well-wishers as they walked to church with their parents. Leading the family were King Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77.
Other attendees included the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh with their children, Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Mike and Zara Tindall with their daughters, and Peter Phillips with his children.
Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, Queen Camilla’s children, also attended with their families but arrived privately.
Noticeably absent were the Duke of York and his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, who stayed at Royal Lodge in Windsor amid ongoing controversy surrounding Prince Andrew’s alleged links to a Chinese spy. Their youngest daughter, Princess Eugenie, spent the holidays with her in-laws for the first time, a plan decided earlier this year.
Following the church service, King Charles and Queen Camilla were set to host a traditional turkey lunch at Sandringham House for their family members. Later in the afternoon, the King’s pre-recorded Christmas speech would be broadcast at 3 p.m.
