Prince Louis enjoys first Christmas Day traditional walk to church
Prince Louis pulled funny faces and smiled cheerily to the crowd as he took part in his first traditional Christmas Day walk to church with the Royal Family.
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The Christmas Day scenes of the Royal family at Sandringham might have felt familiar, but amid the melee were a couple of firsts.
Not just Prince Louis making his debut charming the crowds on his first Christmas walk to church with his brother and sister Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, – but the biggest presence was the stark absence of the late Queen.
Prince Louis pulled funny faces and smiled cheerily to the crowd that repeatedly called out his name.
The cheeky four-year-old, who charmed the nation during the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, donned shorts and long socks as he smiled and gamely waved to well wishers whilst holding his mother’s hand.
As the King and the Queen Consort met the cheerful crowds who had given up their Christmas morning to watch them walk to Sandringham Church, one royal fanatic who had queued for hours clamoured for a handshake or joyful greeting, and, one, shouted, “We love you Charles.”
His Majesty appeared in high spirits, and was seen smiling and laughing as members of the public passed on their well wishes to him and the rest of the family.
The disgraced Duke of York was also seen joining the family as they walked to the church, despite suggestions that he would not be allowed to take part by Charles.
Amid the sniffer spaniels wearing collars of gold tinsel, a ruddy-cheeked policeman crying ‘Happy Christmas’, ebullient children in Father Christmas hats and a tweed-jacketed man handing out Rowntrees Fruit Pastilles, the royals strutted the path to church taking part in the biggest international event of the calendar.
There was little mention about the absent Sussexes.
The Princess of Wales, swaddled in a festive olive green coat, and the Prince of Wales braced against the Norfolk chill in his customary dark woollen coat, held tight to little Louis’ hand.
Charles in his beloved camel coat and Camilla in royal blue enjoyed waving to the crowd. Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice were there in loyal fashion.
The royals were greeted outside the church by the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Rhys Williams before they climbed the steps to the church and the National Anthem was sung before the first hymn, O Come, All Ye Faithful.
The family last gathered there in 2019. This year was the first without both Queen Elizabeth II and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, who died last year.
Princess Charlotte was four when in 2019 she took part in her first Christmas walkabout, hugging onlookers and accepting gifts including a blow-up flamingo from doting fans.
“The Christmas walkabout is a huge international event for the royal family, it shows them at their best, a family, an institution, united, going to church and people come from miles, and all over the world, to see them,” said royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams.
“The sad thing about it this year is that the royals will be massively showcased at the Sandringham Christmas service and walkabout – it’s their biggest international event and is bitter sweet this year as it will underline that the Queen is no longer with them.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were also absent, after capping off the year — described as an annus horribilis for the new monarch — with their docu-series “truth bombs”.
“Come January when (Prince) Harry’s book is out, it will be back to the cruel antics of digging into the King’s reign,” Mr Fitzwilliams said.
“Harry and Meghan are unpredictable and have cleverly timed the release of their Netflix series, Harry’s book and TV interviews to inflict maximum damage on the monarchy.
“But afterwards in May, it’s the King’s coronation that will show the extent of Britain’s full power … until the Sussexes decide to wage their next attack on the institution.”
Despite the upheaval, King Charles is said to be “hell bent” on celebrating his late mother’s legacy.
“He is making a point this year of marking his mother’s legacy and will privately raise toasts to hers and Prince Philip’s memory,” Mr Fitzwilliams said.
“He is hell bent on making his takeover as seamless as possible in her honour and … will make a big point about the legacy she has left and how much she is missed.”
Camilla was expected to break tradition by inviting her children, son Tom, daughter Laura, and her grandchildren to the private royal estate.
Up to 70 guests were on the post-mass lunch guest list, including the Duke of York, King Charles’s nieces and nephews and the Queen’s cousins, the Gloucesters, the Duke of Kent and the Michaels of Kent.
Following Christmas, the King will take a short break then embark on a rammed schedule of engagements in January bookended by the release of Prince Harry’s 416-page memoir Spare.
Ahead of the Christmas walk, the Prince and Princess of Wales wished their fans a “Happy Christmas” by shared a cute festive-themed artwork created by their eldest son George on Sunday.
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Happy Christmas!
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) December 25, 2022
🎨 by George pic.twitter.com/59wXHYx0vb
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