Prince Edward and his family were among the cohort of royals who attended the traditional Christmas Day church service at Sandringham today.
The Queen’s youngest son, 55, was joined by his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and their children Lady Louise, 16, and Viscount Severn, 12.
Sophie, 54, cut a classic figure in a grey coat and nude shoes which she paired with a maroon headband and matching clutch bag.
Lady Louise, who is twelfth in line to the throne and the Queen’s youngest granddaughter, looked elegant in a grey, white and black check coat and pale-pink headband.
Viscount Severn looked sleek in a tailored black suit and matching tie.
Prince Edward and his family were among the cohort of royals who attended the traditional Christmas Day church service at Sandringham today
The Queen’s youngest son, 55, was joined by his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and their children Lady Louise, 16, and Viscount Severn
The royals’ appearance comes at the culmination of a tumultuous year for the family, in which Prince Andrew was forced to step down from public duties, Prince Philip faced a police probe over a car crash, Prince Harry acknowledged tensions in his relationship with his elder brother William, and Harry’s wife Meghan admitted she was struggling with her new life as a royal.
Princess Charlotte stole the show as she joined her parents and great-grandmother at the service for the first time.
At four years of age, little Charlotte was this year considered old enough to attend the annual service, alongside her big brother George, six.
Sophie, 54, cut an elegant figure in a grey coat and nude shoes which she paired with a maroon headband and matching clutch bag
Lady Louise (right), who is twelfth in line to the throne and the Queen’s youngest granddaughter, wore a grey, white and black check coat and pale-pink headband
The 12-year-old Viscount Severn looked sleek in a tailored black suit and matching tie
And afterwards, the princess delighted fans as she cheerily waved and greeted them before displaying her impeccable manners as she accepted Christmas presents from them.
The four-year-old also melted hearts as she stopped to hug Gemma Clark, who was waiting in her wheelchair after waiting all morning to catch a glimpse of the family.
Gemma Clark, 39, who had travelled from Long Sutton in Lincolnshire with her family, gave Charlotte an inflatable flamingo and said she seemed pleased with the gift.
Ms Clark, who was in a wheelchair, said George and Charlotte were ‘brilliant’ and that they both hugged her.
‘It made my day,’ she added. ‘I’ve never seen the royal family, ever.
‘This is my first time at Sandringham and I would love to do it again.’
Back at the house, the family traditionally indulge in turkey, reared at Sandringham, before settling down to watch TV, including the Queen’s Christmas Speech.
Addressing the atmosphere at Sandringham, marred by Prince Andrew’s absence in the wake of his car-crash Newsnight interview, she said: ‘This morning there was a different feel – there were lots of questions about Andrew and so many theories about whether he’d be here or not.
The family of four coordinated perfectly in muted tones and subdued colours
The family walked ahead of Prince Charles, Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mozzi and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
The family are pictured arriving for the church service. Left to right: Prince Edward, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, with their children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn
Sophie, Countess of Wessex, kept her blonde locks slicked back with a red headband. She styled her look with a matching clutch
‘I’ve been here for three years, and this year it is definitely different. But it is packed here.’
The 93-year-old Queen, wearing a red coat and hat, arrived at the church in a maroon Bentley with the Duchess of Cornwall.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 98, who was discharged from hospital on Christmas Eve, was at Sandringham but did not attend church.
He had spent four nights at the King Edward VII Hospital in London to receive treatment for a ‘pre-existing condition’.
Princess Charlotte hugged a woman in a wheelchair who had waited for hours to meet them
As they were given flowers, Charlotte chatted to fans, encourage by her mother the Duchess of Cambridge
Princess Cheeky: The four-year-old stuck her tongue out to people as she did a walk-through the crowds
Karen Anvil, who famously took a picture of the ‘Fab Four’ – the Cambridges and Sussexes two years ago – gifted Charlotte a doll this morning
The youngster put on an animated display as she left the church, beside her mother Catherine
The Duchess of Cambridge and her four-year-old daughter strolled through the Norfolk estate with bunches of flowers
The four-year-old tried to clutch her mother’s hand as they left the church of St Mary Magdalene
Philip, who retired from public duties in 2017, did not attend last year’s church service either despite being in good health at the time.
The Duke of York, who has had a tumultuous end to the year after his disastrous appearance on the BBC’s Newsnight programme, walked side by side with Charles to a service at 9am but did not attend the 11am service.
Andrew’s attempt to explain his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein backfired and he was heavily criticised for showing a lack of empathy towards Epstein’s victims and remorse over his friendship with the disgraced financier.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were also absent this year, instead opting to spend seven-month-old Archie’s first Christmas with the Duchess’s mother, Doria Ragland, in Canada.
Others attending the main morning service included Princess Beatrice and her fiance, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.