Prince Philip is recovering well from his mystery illness, his son Charles revealed to wellwishers at Sandringham today.
Joining the Queen and other royals at the traditional Christmas Sunday church service, Prince Charles, 71, said the 98-year-old Duke of Edinburgh was feeling “much better”.
The prince smiled as he walked to the morning service, stopping to greet some of the 1,500-strong crowd with his sister Princess Anne, 69.
Walking behind the pair were their brother Prince Edward, 55, his daughter Lady Louise Windsor, 16, and Anne’s husband Sir Tim Laurence, 64.
The Queen, in vibrant yellow, was driven to the service with Edward’s 54-year-old wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex.
Prince Andrew, 59, who has stepped down from public duties over his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, chose not to attend.
A source on the estate claimed he may have left on Friday, after the Boxing Day shoot.
Buckingham Palace officials were said to have feared Andrew would be booed at the main service, so he attended church on Christmas Day instead.
His daughters, Princesses Beatrice, 31, and Eugenie, 29, were also absent.
Also missing were Prince Harry , 35, Meghan, 38, and seven-month-old Archie – celebrating his first Christmas.
They are reportedly seeing in the New Year at a waterside mansion in Canada, believed to be owned by a powerful Russian businessman.
The £10million property has its own games room with wet bar, a wine-tasting room, and its own gourmet pizza oven.
Prince Philip was flown back to Sandringham by helicopter on Christmas Eve after four nights being treated for a pre-existing illness at King Edward VII Hospital in London.
He did not join the family for the service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
The Queen was met with applause as she left church, walking down the steps with the Bishop of Norwich, the Right Rev Graham Usher.
The service, led by Sandringham rector the Rev Canon Jonathan Riviere, included prayers for doctors and other health workers, teachers, social workers, charities and volunteers, the armed forces, emergency services, farm workers and all those in public office.
In cheerful mood, Edward told chilly onlookers as he left: “I bet you are rather wishing you brought more clothes now.”
