For the first time ever, Kate and Prince William were joined by their eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, for the service.
As ever, the royal mum looked stylish dressed in a chic furry-trimmed Catherine Walker coat to attend the morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, but admitted during a conversation with Karen Anvil and her daughter Rachel that she regretted her choice of clothes because she was feeling hot.
Karen told The Metro at the time: “Kate was talking to my daughter about clothes and how she was feeling too hot. She said: ‘I really shouldn’t have worn this.'”
Karen – who famously took the ‘fab four’ photo of the Cambridges and Sussexes walking together to church in 2017 – also gave Charlotte a doll, which the young royal was pictured accepting from her. As well as a doll, the little girl was also given a pink inflatable flamingo from another royal fan, and sweetly went over to hug her to say thank you.
William and Kate’s youngest child, Prince Louis, then one, did not join his parents and eldest siblings at church and stayed at home nearby. Other members of the royal family out on Christmas Day included the Queen, Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.
It sounded like the Cambridges had a wonderful Christmas with the rest of the royals. While it is a private affair, Zara Tindall’s husband, Mike Tindall, has previously given an insight into the family’s traditions at Sandringham.
During a conversation on a House of Rugby podcast in 2018, the former rugby star was asked whether Christmas is good at the castle, to which he replied: “Yeah it is good. So Christmas Day is a little quieter because it’s actually a cold buffet because they give everyone the day off, and their big day is Christmas Eve.”
Mike also explained that the family all sit around to watch the Queen’s speech together “with a little glass of something.” In 2018, the Downton Abbey Christmas special was a popular choice with many other family members when it came to television choices. “I don’t watch it, but there’s a lot of people who do,” he said.
The Cambridge family also went for a Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace with the rest of the royal family just before Christmas in 2019, and Mike also opened up about the day on the podcast.
He said: “The family lunch – there must be about 70 of us there – there are seven tables and the kiddies have their own little one in a different room. I was on Prince Charles’ table. It was lovely, really good.” Mike was also asked if the royals take part in Secret Santa, to which he replied: “Not on that day – no.”
