British Royal Family's Christmas Day Walk in Sandringham 2023

The British royal family has an annual tradition of spending Christmas in Sandringham, the royal family's private estate in Norfolk. One of the highly anticipated public appearances of the family in the estate is their Christmas morning walk.

Spectators gather along the route from the Sandringham estate gate to St. Mary Magdalene Church where the royal family traditionally attends the church service on December 25.

Christmas walk of the Royal Family in Sandringham. December 25, 2023

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh followed by the family of Princess Anne

After the church's service, the royal family greets the public during their walk about and on their way back to Sandringham.

Together at Christmas!

This year marks the second Christmas holiday of King Charles III as monarch and he was determined to keep the royal family close during the holidays as he invited all his siblings and cousins on his mother's side.

Children and grandchildren of Princess Margaret

The King and Queen followed by the Waleses

According to royal insiders, King Charles III wanted all members of his family to be together this Christmas in Sandringham. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children were invited but Meghan Markle reportedly declined the invitation, thus Prince Harry decided not to come.

Mike and Zara Tindall holding their second child, Lena (their eldest daughter, Mia, walked with the Waleses ahead)

The children and grandchildren of Princess Margaret (Charles's late maternal aunt) were all present: David, the 2nd Earl of Snowdon with his children: Charles, Viscount Linley, and Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones. David's younger sister, Lady Sarah Chatto, her husband, and their two children also attended.

Sarah, Duchess of York back into the royal fold

But the most surprising thing was the presence of Sarah, Duchess of York, the ex-wife of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York.

The Yorks are intact! The Duke and Duchess of York with their daughters and sons-in-law

Although it is common knowledge that Sarah regularly joined the royal family celebrations in private, and she continues to live with Prince Andrew at the Royal Lodge, she has not been seen publicly in the company of the royal family celebrating Christmas since her separation from Prince Andrew in 1992.

The Duke and Duchess of York

This move of King Charles III was viewed as his effort to heal the wounds of division within his family and to show family unity during the Holiday season.

For the first time since 1991, Sarah, Duchess of York joined the Royal Family in Sandringham for Christmas

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank

However, it's still a tense issue when it comes to his second son, Prince Harry, and his daughter-in-law, Meghan Markle, as the couple refused to meet halfway.

One of the cutest moments during the royal family's Christmas walkabout was the closeness of Prince Louis of Wales and his second cousin, Mia Tindall, the eldest child of Prince William's cousin, Zara Phillips-Tindall.

Prince Louis holding hands with his second cousin, Mia Tindall

The Waleses + Mia Tindall 😁😂

Mia momentarily elevated her place in the line of succession to "fifth" because Prince Louis refused to let her go

The two were holding hands as they walked behind the Prince and Princess of Wales. Normally, the royal family members walked in line according to their places in the line of succession. Naturally, the Waleses walked next to the King and Queen.

Catherine and Princess Charlotte

But for this year's Christmas day, it was amusing to see Mia Tindall rise into being "fifth" as she walked with the Waleses because Prince Louis refused to let go of her hand. 😂 Prince Louis, as always, doing his own little innocent things.

Merry Christmas!