The Prince and Princess of Wales, King Charles and Queen Camilla delighted royal well-wishers as they lead other senior royals and waved to the adoring crowds gathered outside Sandringham on Christmas Day.
Kate and William were joined by their children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
Camilla wore a festively red overcoat and stylish hat as she walked alongside a smiling King Charles on a sunny but bitingly fresh Thursday morning.
The royals will attend an hour-long service at the church before gathering together to attend a lunch hosted by the monarch.
Fans were also delighted to see the King’s nieces, Beatrice and Eugenie arriving at the family gathering, despite their parents not being in attendance.
The King’s younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and former wife Sarah Ferguson are off the guest list after becoming mired in scandal following revelations about their involvement with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The hope of catching a glimpse of the youngsters on their walk to church is a major draw for royal fans who gather close to the church in Sandringham every year.
Other expected family members include the King’s other brother Prince Edward with his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, son James Viscount Severn, 17, and daughter Lady Louise, 22.
Meanwhile Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence are on the guest list, alongside daughter Zara and son-in-law Mike Tindall and their three children Mia, 11, Lena, seven, and Lucas, four.
Kate beamed a wide smile as she arrived at Sandringham with Princess Charlotte, 10
Camilla wore a festively red overcoat and stylish hat as she walked alongside King Charles
Kate and William were joined by their children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven
Queen Camilla appeared in a jovial mood as she made her way towards the church service
The monarch led other members of his family while royal well-wishers smiled and waved
Kate looked tenderly at her daughter as they walked hand-in-hand towards the service
Anne’s son Peter Phillips will also attend with his two daughters Savannah and Isla.
Earlier this year, Peter announced his engagement to girlfriend Harriet Sperling.
Now the rule that only married couples can attend has been relaxed, it’s very likely she too has been asked by King Charles to join the family. She has already met the King and Queen and members of the wider family at events such as Royal Ascot.
The royals were watched on by a legion of fans, some of whom had been queuing for hours to catch a glimpse of the family.
First in the queue outside Sandringham’s War Memorial gates was 70-year-old John Loughrey, who secured his place at 9pm last night.
Mr Loughrey, from Wandsworth, south west London, spent the night sat on a fold-up chair outside the gates and said: ‘It was cold but I had heat pads inside my jumper and hand warmers.
‘There’s something special about sharing Christmas Day with the royals at Sandringham.’
Mr Loughrey came armed with a portrait he painted of himself, which he hoped to pass on to Prince William.
‘I have met him [many] times before,’ Mr Loughrey said.
‘I last saw William at the Centrepoint homeless charity a few weeks ago and told him I would bring a special gift for him to Sandringham.’
A few people behind Mr Loughrey in the queue were American husband and wife Margie and Jeff Brooks, their daughter Elizabeth Brooks, 29, and her husband Caleb Brewer, 30.
Royal superfan John Loughrey, 70, from Wandsworth, south west London, spent the night sat on a fold-up chair outside the gates to be the first in the queue
A few people behind Mr Loughrey in the queue were American husband and wife Margie and Jeff Brooks, their daughter Elizabeth Brooks, 29, and her husband Caleb Brewer, 30
Noele Fowler, 65, and husband David, 66, from Toronto, Ontario, were treating their daughter Jackie, 35, to a trip to Sandringham for her Christmas present
Mrs Brooks, 62, from Fort Worth, Texas, said: ‘This is the centrepiece of our week-long holiday.
‘We came up from London yesterday and go back there this afternoon.
‘We all like the royals, especially [our daughter] Elizabeth’.
The 29-year-old was dressed under layers and in a bobble hat as she struggled to keep warm, but said: ‘Apparently its 80 degrees (Fahrenheit – 26.6C) back home, but I wouldn’t miss this.’
Mr Brooks, 63, said: ‘I went to London for Charles and Diana’s wedding in 1981 because I was studying in Oxford at the time.’
Also in the queue were royal watchers from Israel and also Canada.
Noele Fowler, 65, and husband David, 66, were treating their daughter Jackie, 35, to a trip to Sandringham for her Christmas present.
The family, from Toronto, Ontario, are spending a week in the UK and have combined 48 hours in Norfolk with visiting relatives in Guildford, Surrey.
Jackie said: ‘I’ve always been interested in royal history, starting with the Tudors. This is such a treat to be here.’
Among those not attending this year are Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, who have been told they are not welcome at celebrations after a drip-feed of revelations about their involvement with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
It will be the second year running that the King’s brother and his ex-wife have not attended. Last year, they pulled out of the celebrations just 10 days before Christmas after Andrew’s links to alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, came to light.
The former couple will spend one last Christmas hunkered down at the Royal Lodge, which they will vacate at some point next year.
