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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Jennifer Newton

Prince Louis dons shorts as he joins royals for Christmas service for first time

Prince Louis has stolen the show by joining the royals for the first time on their traditional Christmas Day walk to church at Sandringham.

The cheeky four-year-old, who charmed the nation during the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, donned shorts and long socks as he joined his older brother and sister Prince George and Princess Charlotte as they walked with their parents the Prince and Princess of Wales to the festive service.

It also marked the first time that King Charles led the family to church - with him hosting Christmas at Sandringham for the first time this year since the death of his mother the Queen in September.

Prince Louis wore shorts, long socks and a coat as he joined the royals for the first time (Stephen Lock / i-Images)
Louis tightly held on to his mum Kate's hand (Stephen Lock / i-Images)

Shortly before 11am, the royals began making their way to church with among those spotted being Queen Consort Camilla, Zara and Mike Tindall, Edward and Sophie Wessex with Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as well as Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his son Wolfie.

A surprise appearance at the church was by disgraced Prince Andrew, who was seen alongside his youngest daughter Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank.

King Charles led the way alongside Camilla in blue with William, Kate and their children following behind.

The King waves to wellwishers as he leads the royals to church on Christmas Day (AFP via Getty Images)
The royals on their way to church including four-year-old Prince Louis (Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)

Kate, who looked chic also in green, held tightly on to Louis' hand with William walking alongside eldest son George, and Charlotte in a similar burgundy coat to the one she wore to her mum's carol concert last week.

They 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.

George and Charlotte also joined the royals at church in Sandringham for the second time (Tim Rooke/REX/Shutterstock)
Louis smiles as he enters church this morning (Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Christmas at Sandringham follows a break, when, due to the Covid pandemic, the late Queen spent the festive period at Windsor Castle two years in a row – the first with the Duke of Edinburgh, separated from her wider family in lockdown.

After the morning trip to St Mary Magdalene Church and the greeting of well-wishers, the family are expected to tuck into a lunch of turkey and all the trimmings.

Afterwards traditionally members of the royal family sit down to watch the Queen's televised address when it airs after lunch at 3pm on December 25.

Zara and Mike Tindall with their younger daughter Lena Tindall (UK Press via Getty Images)

This year, they will watch King Charles' first ever Christmas address, where he is expected to to pay tribute to the late Queen.

An image of Charles, taken during the recording of his inaugural festive address, has already been released ahead of the broadcast being screened later today.

The festive message was recorded on December 13 at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, a religious building which has a strong association with the late Queen.

It was filmed in the quire of the chael, where the royal family sat during the Queen’s committal service, and during the broadcast the choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor performs the National Anthem and sings a carol.

The monarch is pictured standing while delivering his address. Although in recent years the Queen recorded her Christmas broadcast sat at a desk, she had also stood in decades past.

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