Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were seen smiling today as they joined their parents and other members of the royal family a special one Christmas Day church service at Sandringham.
George, 11, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six, accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales to St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk Estate for the traditional outing.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were also in attendance, along with Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
George, who will start high school next year, was twinning with his father, Prince William, in a navy blue jacket and matching trousers, while his younger sister wore a dark green jacket almost identical to Kate’s Alexander McQueen number.
Meanwhile, Prince Louis, who held his mother’s hand tightly, was also smartly dressed, wearing a jacket, trousers and a white shirt, just like his older brother.
Kate, 42, was a sight to behold alongside Prince William, their three children, King Charles and other members of the royal family.
Her presence at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk Estate was honored and perhaps unexpected after a painfully difficult year for the Princess, who stunned the world with a shock cancer diagnosis in March 2024.
The princess underwent major abdominal surgery in the hospital, after which doctors announced the news that they had found signs of cancer and advised her to undergo immediate treatment.
George, 11, Charlotte, nine, and Louis, six, accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales to St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk Estate for the traditional outing
Today all eyes were on Kate as she looked as chic as ever, with no indication of the challenging year behind her and her father-in-law, 76, who was also diagnosed with cancer, for which he continues to receive treatment.
The princess dazzled in a forest green Alexander McQueen coat that she previously wore during a visit to Leeds in 2023.
Her silky brunette locks were styled with a classic blow-dry, while her makeup was simple for the day.
She walked past well-wishers who were visibly delighted as they caught a glimpse of the brave princess in her essence.
Her infectious smile was a testament to her courage in the face of adversity and her work ethic, as the Christmas service is just one of many official public gatherings the Princess has attended since announcing her cancer treatment.
It is also the second time the Wales family has been seen together in public since their appearance at Trooping the Colour, the King’s birthday parade, in June.
Prince William, 42, looked dapper in a suit and tie, perhaps inspiring his eldest son’s dashing style.
Hundreds of well-wishers have been queuing since the early hours to catch a glimpse of the royals, waving excitedly as Prince William and Princess Kate made their way to church.
Prince Louis could be seen holding his mother’s hand as the Waleses walked to St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham on Christmas morning
Meanwhile, Charlotte took the hand of her father, Prince William, as they smiled at well-wishers who lined the streets ahead of their arrival.
Prince Louis looked dapper in a navy blue jacket and matching trousers
Princess Charlotte was seen walking with her brother Louis and mother Kate, while the young royal chose a checked navy and green coat for the outing
Prince Louis appeared serious as he walked next to his family
The Royal Family photographed at Sandringham
Meanwhile, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and their two children Archie and Lilibet remain in Montecito, California.
For the Royals, the festivities usually start when everyone arrives on Christmas Eve. The family opens presents, some of which are gag presents – one of the royal family’s traditions.
The family then attends services at St. Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas morning. Once they get home, a Christmas lunch is served, followed by games in the afternoon.
This time, two years ago, the Royals experienced their biggest change in decades as they celebrated their first festive period without Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September 2022.
The world was in mourning at the news of her death at the age of 96. Britain’s longest-reigning monarch was rushed to Balmoral after doctors became ‘concerned’ about her health – she later died ‘peacefully’ surrounded by family.
The tragic moment would precede a series of devastating events to befall the royal family, most notably the Princess of Wales’s worrying cancer announcement.
She revealed in March that she had been undergoing preventative chemotherapy since late February after being diagnosed with cancer.
Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to attack tumors and is typically given to directly treat cancer or shrink a tumor in preparation for surgery.
Kate and Queen Camilla wore matching green jackets during Wednesday’s festivities
But it can also be used as a preventive option in the hope of preventing cancer from returning — with as much as a 46 percent reduction in recurrence rates, according to a 2019 study.
In a video released in September, Kate admitted that the past nine months had been “incredibly tough” for her and her family.
“The cancer journey is complex, frightening and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you,” she said.
After six months of preventive chemotherapy, the princess now says she is ‘cancer-free’.
“Although I have completed chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes,” she added.
It was initially believed that the reason for Kate’s surgery was not cancer.
She later revealed that subsequent tests had revealed that cancer was present.
Kate was then advised to undergo preventive chemotherapy and described herself as being in the ‘early stages’ of that treatment.
Preventive chemotherapy, also called adjuvant chemotherapy, aims to prevent cancer from returning once the main tumor has been removed from the body.
It has also taken a toll on her loved ones, with Prince William declaring 2024 the “hardest year of my life” following his wife and father’s cancer diagnoses.
In a remarkably candid – and at times emotional – interview at the end of his official visit to South Africa in November, he admitted that the past few months had been “brutal”.
But the prince also said how immensely “proud” he was of Catherine and the king for tackling their health struggles with such dignity and courage.
Sighing slightly and in a lower voice, he said, “Honestly? It was terrible. It has probably been the hardest year of my life. So it’s been really hard to get through everything else and keep everything on track.
“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my dad, because he’s addressing the things that they’ve done.
“But from a personal family perspective, it was, yes, it was cruel.”
And earlier that week, he praised his wife for being “amazing all year.”
The prince will certainly remain a pillar of support for his father, King Charles, who will continue to undergo cancer treatment until 2025.
Shortly before Christmas, a Buckingham Palace source said the 76-year-old’s health was still being “managed” but was “moving in a positive direction.”
Charles has continued his duties despite a personally challenging year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer.
News of Charles’ cancer, the form of which was not made public, emerged in February after it was discovered while he was being treated in hospital for an enlarged prostate in January.
He canceled all personal public duties but returned in April and has since traveled to France for D-Day commemorations, hosted incoming state visits for the Emperor of Japan and the Emir of Qatar, and made a hectic trip to Australia and Samoa . with the Queen, despite her still undergoing outpatient cancer treatment.
Meanwhile, Queen Camilla, 77, is battling her own health problems and is said to be recovering from pneumonia since returning from a royal tour of Australia and Samoa with her husband.
The respiratory infection has temporarily ruled her out of a range of royal duties and she was once said to be resting at home in Wiltshire while being monitored by doctors.