Sandringham Christmas 2024
I like Christmas as much as the next person, but it has been some years since I popped out of bed on Christmas morning electrified by anticipation. That changed this year. When I woke up on the morning of the 25th, no sooner had cognizance hit than I was sitting up in bed fumbling for my phone to check the pictures from Sandringam. It as been a hard year for royal watching, and we all needed the beautiful images from the Christmas morning walk to St. Mary Magdalene.
From some picture angles, it can look like the royals are just a massive single pack as they head to church, but this perspective below shows they are organized and spaced out. I also read a first-person account of a spectator. People travel from all over and stay in hotels in nearby villages. They line up very early in the morning on Christmas to get a good position along the ropes and greet the royals. It made me reflect on how good it is to have a loyal fan base!
I am usually eying Kate’s clothes, but this year, Princess Charlotte’s beautiful tartan swing coat had me hunting for an ID! I haven’t found one yet, so if you know, drop it in the comments!
On the walk back—which is when the royals conduct the walkabout portion of the morning—Kate really took her time with the gathered crowd. William and the children ended up waiting for her by the gates leading back toward the private estate.
In addition to Charlotte’s gorgeous tartan coat, Kate was wearing a tartan scarf and both the boys were wearing matching ties, so it was a Kate-coordinated Christmas, indeed.
The Princess of Wales chose a fully recycled ensemble, which was picture perfect for the day. Kate’s green coat is a McQueen that the Princess first debuted in Leeds in January 2023.
Her Gina Foster “Meribel” beret is also a multiple repeat hat and a fan favorite. This is not its first Christmas, either. Kate wore it on Christmas Day in 2013, too.
On this Christmas, Kate was wearing Gianvito Rossi heeled boots and carrying a Grace Han bag she has carried before.
Perhaps my favorite part of the ensemble was the jewelry. These blue topaz and diamond earrings are by Robinson Pelham—the same jeweler that made Kate’s wedding earrings. I actually don’t love the style, but I love that they are new, and we can assume with reasonable confidence that Kate received them from William as a Christmas present. It reminds me of their first Christmas as newlyweds when Kate debuted the custom earrings from Kiki McDonough, which we also believe were her Christmas gift from William that year. I just love seeing jewelry William has given Kate for Christmas; it feels very personal and special.
Also of interest to me was the guest list. We had been told that Prince Andrew’s daughters would not be present at Sandringham this year, but at the last minute, Princess Beatrice did decide to join the family gathering. She was there with her husband and stepson, Wolfie.
It was another wonderful Christmas in the book for the royals. I am hoping we see the Middletons head to church this Sunday. You never know; we could get lucky!
I loved the color coordination, especially between Catherine and Charlotte!
The earrings are beautiful
I hope everyone had a very happy Christmas and is getting some rest on these in-between days before the New Year festivities. The Royal family created a delightful tableau on Christmas morning. As expected, the outfits were well-coordinated and attractive, we saw some beautiful jewellery, old and new, and the family members seemed genuinely happy and relaxed. The children behaved impeccably - Louis has grown up a lot!
However, for me, the standout was the Princess of Wales. She looked so happy and at ease. Catherine is excellent at engaging with people who come out to see the Royal family, but this time she displayed even more warmth and consideration. She looked radiant, engaged and comfortable, and it was wonderful to see.
I really like her new earrings. They are more modern than we are used to seeing on royal ladies but I think they’re gorgeous and suit her very well. William has stepped up his gift giving game!