Royals attend Christmas Day service at Sandringham as hundreds gather to greet King Charles and family

25 December 2024, 11:04 | Updated: 25 December 2024, 13:10

Hundreds of royals fans flocked to Sandringham this morning to watch King Charles and his family attend their annual Christmas day church service.

King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate were all pictured making their way to the annual service this morning.

Charles, 76, and 77-year-old Queen Camilla walked the short distance from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church past a crowd of well-wishers.

They were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children – Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and six-year-old Prince Louis.

Read more: Kate and King Charles’ cancer battles in 2024 as Palace focuses on road to recovery

William walked hand in hand with Charlotte, and Kate who wore a green coat and hat smiled at the crowds.

Also in the walking party was the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

Members of the royal family who walked to the service were greeted at the foot of the steps to the church by the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Rhys Williams.

They then headed inside and the National Anthem was sung before the first hymn, O Come, All Ye Faithful.

Every year, hundreds of people gather to see the Firm head to the famous St Mary Magdalene church at 11am.

And this year was no different, as royalists from across the UK waiting to catch a glimpse of the King and his family.

Retired chef John Loughrey, 69, from Wandsworth, south London, said he and Sky London travelled by train to King’s Lynn then took a bus, arriving at Sandringham in Norfolk at 7.30pm on December 24.

“We had sleeping bags with us and a heat pad,” Mr Loughrey said.

“It was a bit damp last night.

“We came here for Catherine. She’s been an inspiration the last year what she’s been through.

“We want to support her and her family.”

Mr London, 64, from Paddington, central London, said: “If you’re a royalist and you love the royals you do anything.”

They both brought flowers that they hoped to give to the Princess of Wales.

Later today, the King’s speech will be broadcast, with the monarch breaking from tradition and speaking from a former-hospital, rather than his royal residence.

The past 12 months have been rocky for the royal family, with Kate and Charles’ cancer diagnoses coming as a shock to the nation.

Buckingham Palace first told of Charles’ diagnosis in February, announcing the King was undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer at a private hospital in London.

The unexpected diagnosis came during treatment to address a benign enlarged prostate condition – “a separate issue of concern was noted,” the Palace confirmed in a statement.

Kate’s diagnosis followed soon after following ‘routine abdominal surgery’, a discovery the Princess of Wales later described as a “huge shock” to the whole family.

The battle saw William firmly by Kate’s side throughout, with the future King finely balancing public duties with greater family commitments.

During treatment, William could regularly be heard praising Kate, telling the press that she was doing “really well” and praising her “amazing” attitude throughout cancer treatment.

To date, both royals have failed to address the specificities of their individual cancer diagnoses.