During the Royal Family’s Christmas Day walk to church, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all met the crowds – with fans spotting an emotional moment
William and Kate with their children go to greet the Sandringham crowds(Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The Royal Family always delight the crowds that turn out to see them on Christmas Day with a special walkabout. And this year, it was the younger members of the Firm who stole the show, with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis all taking time to greet well-wishers.
The trio closely followed their parents, Prince William and Kate by shaking hands with those who had gathered at Sandringham on Christmas morning and were lucky to receive piles of gifts from chocolate to cuddly toys. In on particularly emotional moment, William introduced his three children to royal superfan John Loughrey, 70, who had camped overnight to catch a glimpse at the Firm.
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Loughrey, wearing his signature hat covered in pins, then spoke to the kids and personally told George that his late grandmother, Princess Diana, “would be proud of you”. And in a social media clip captured by a fan, as George hears the heartwarming comment, Charlotte can be seen giving her big brother a comforting tap on the back.
One fan wrote on X: “Princess Charlotte’s reaction when someone told her brother, Prince George, that their grandmother Diana would be proud of him. See how she gently reassures him by touching his back.”
George, Charlotte and Louis on the Christmas day walkabout (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
While another said: “Those kids are tight, she will be an amazing support to him like Princess Anne to her brother”. Another wrote: “I wonder if she already has a good grasp the amount of role and responsibility her big brother has. She seems to have already stepped up to the plate of bring his biggest supporter.”
It came as Kate also chatted to dozens of the well-wishers for almost 20 minutes after most of the royal family had reached the house and was given armfuls of flowers, which were carried away by police officers.
The children were guided by their parents (Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
In addition, Charlotte gave Gemma Clark, 45, with her father Paul Clark, 75, a hug when the fan asked for the embrace. Ms Clark, from Long Sutton near King’s Lynn and a regular at the event, also gave the young princess a bookmark and a ballerina brooch as presents, and said: “I asked Charlotte for a hug and she said yes, it was absolutely amazing, I loved it – I wish I could hug her again. I wasn’t surprised, she’s given me hugs in the past.”
Mr Clark gave William a set of origami planes for his sons to make and said: “William told me George would be able to name all those planes, they’re historic ones like Spitfires and Hurricanes.”
Tom Hirst, 42, who lives in Norwich, was with his sister Victoria Holland, 43, and they chatted to William and Kate. Mr Hirst said afterwards: “The children were fascinated with the chocolate selections they were given and William told them ‘you’d better brush your teeth’. I think he was referring to after they’ve eaten the chocolates!”
Hundreds had gathered in bitter temperatures under clear blue skies to catch a glimpse of the royals as they walked to and from church just a short stroll from Sandringham House.
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