Last Updated on December 25, 2019, 1:04 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Prince George and Princess Charlotte mingled with the crowds as they attended the Royal Family’s Christmas church for the primary time. Prince Philip, who was released from the hospital on Tuesday, didn’t attend.
A large crowd gathered to greet the Queen and relations as they attended the service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. Prince Andrew, who stepped back from royal duties last month, kept a coffee profile at the event.
The 11 am service was broadcast live to the many visitors who had gathered outside the church. Some had queued from the first hours of the morning within the hope of seeing the royalty.
Well-wishers held out flowers and gifts for Princess Charlotte, four, and Prince George, six, who were amid their parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. There had been speculation over whether Prince Andrew would join the remainder of his family at Sandringham, after controversy over his links with billionaire convict Jeffery Epstein saw him sidelined from royal duties.
While most of the family arrived ahead of crowds lining the roads, Andrew, amid his brother, arrived earlier at the church and used a special entrance. The Queen’s attendance at church preceded her Christmas message – during which she described 2019 as “quite bumpy”.
She said that “positive things” might be achieved when differences were put aside, and other people came together in the sense of friendship and reconciliation”.
“As we all anticipate to the beginning of a replacement decade, it’s worth remembering that it’s often the tiny steps, not the enormous leaps, that cause the foremost lasting change,” she stated.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
