Britain’s young royals steal show at Christmas service as Prince Andrew lies low
- Duke of York, amid scandal over friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, attends separate private service with brother Prince Charles
- Harry and Meghan away in Canada, in what some say is snub to queen and other royals
Britain’s Prince George and his sister, Princess Charlotte, attended their first traditional Christmas Day church service at the royal estate in Sandringham on Wednesday.
George, 6, and Charlotte, 4, walked from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church holding the hands of their parents, Prince William and Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge.
Their grandfather, Charles, the Prince of Wales, walked with them.
Queen Elizabeth arrived at the church in a Bentley with Charles’ wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
The royals were greeted by several hundred well-wishers who had gathered outside the church grounds.
After the service, William, Kate and their two children mingled with the crowd to exchange Christmas greetings.
Gemma Clark, who was in a wheelchair, gave Charlotte an inflatable pink flamingo and received a hug in return. She said the flamingo was called Felicity but that Charlotte is free to give it another name.
“It made my day,” Clark added. “I’ve never seen the royal family, ever.”
Prince Andrew facing ‘sex slave summit’ with Queen over allegations
William and Kate’s youngest son, one-year-old Prince Louis, stayed at home, as did the queen’s husband, Prince Philip.
Philip, 98, left a London hospital on Tuesday after four nights for treatment of an undisclosed condition and was also at Sandringham in Norfolk, eastern England.
Philip, whose official title is the Duke of Edinburgh, has spent much of his time at the estate since retiring from most public duties in May 2017. He did not attend last year’s church service either.
Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, the queen’s middle son, attended a private service at 9am with his brother, Charles, the Press Association reported, but Andrew did not attend the 11am service along with other members of the royal family.
The royal family has endured what many close observers think is a rift between William and Harry, who has said he and William are now on separate paths.
Some British newspapers have interpreted their decision to spend Christmas away as a snub to the queen and other royals.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
