Your support helps us tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to big tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the finances of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word,’ which shines a light on American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know the importance of analyzing the facts of messaging. .
At such a critical moment in American history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to continue sending journalists to tell both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to block Americans from our reporting and analysis with a paywall. We believe that quality journalism should be available to everyone, and paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes a difference.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were joined by Prince William and Kate on Christmas Day as they took part in the festive walk in royal family‘s Sandringham real estate.
The royal couples, accompanied by several other family members, greeted well-wishers in front of the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, where they attend the holiday morning service.
William walked hand in hand with Charlotte, and Kate, who was wearing a green coat and hat, smiled at the crowd.
Their appearance will be monitored The King’s Christmas message for 2024 from Fitzrovia Chapel in central London, which will be broadcast at 3 p.m.
The first people in the line of well-wishers waiting to see the royals walk to the church arrived on Tuesday and camped out overnight.
Retired chef John Loughrey, 69, from Wandsworth, south London, said he and Sky London traveled by train to King’s Lynn and then took a bus, arriving in Sandringham, Norfolk, at 7.30pm on December 24.
“We had sleeping bags with us and a heater,” Mr Loughrey said. It was a little wet last night.
“We came here because of Catherine. She has been an inspiration for the past year, what she has been through. We want to support her and her family.”
O A gathering of 45 members of the monarchy and their guests is expected at the Norfolk estate on Wednesday, which has been a traditional Christmas gathering place for the royal family since 1988.
However, Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson are not among those in attendance this year after the disgraced prince hit the headlines this month when it emerged he was a “close confidante” of alleged Chinese spy Yang Tengbo.
Businessman Tengbo was visiting Buckingham Palace and was invited to the Duke of York’s birthday party, but was later banned from entering the UK for national security reasons.
The former couple decided to stay away from the royal’s traditional Christmas gathering at Sandringham in a bid to avoid further embarrassment for the royal family.
Since stepping back from royal duties in 2019 following his friendship with convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew’s appearance at Sandringham was one of the few times he was seen with the royal family.
He attended on both occasions in the past two years, and also joined the late Queen and his siblings in 2019, just months after his disastrous interview on BBC Newsnight, which prompted him to step back from public roles.
Among those celebrating at Sandringham will be his daughter Princess Beatrice, who will attend after changing her travel plans on medical advice, it is understood.
Beatrice and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child in early spring and had planned to spend the festive period abroad with the princess’s in-laws.
But she received medical advice and was guided not to travel long distances.
The royal baby will be a younger sibling for the couple’s three-year-old daughter Sienna, and Mr Mapelli’s son Mozzi and Beatrice’s stepson, eight-year-old Wolfie.
Beatrice’s sister Princess Eugenie and her family plan to spend Christmas with their family.
For royal fans, the Sandringham walk to church offers a chance to greet Prince William and Kate, as well as their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.
Earlier this year, William described the past year, during which his wife and father were treated for cancer, as “brutal”.
He said 2024 was “probably the hardest year of my life” and a “terrible” experience.
Others who joined King Charles and Camilla included Princess Anne, her daughter and son-in-law Zara and Mike Tindall, their children, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie Wessex, and their two children.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry will enjoy the holiday season in California with wife Meghan Markle and their two children. The couple have not celebrated Christmas at Sandringham since 2018, and have rarely been photographed with the royal family since leaving for the US in 2020.