Show goes on as royals turn out at Sandringham
MORE than 1,000 people turned out to see the Royal Family at Sandringham in Norfolk yesterday despite the absences of the Queen and the Cambridges.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 95, made it to two church services – at 9am and at 11am – while in recovery from his heavy cold.
There was also a double royal debut for the crowd.
The Queen’s great granddaughters, Savannah Phillips, who will be six on December 29, and her sister Isla, four, both attended St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day for the first time with their parents, Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips and his Canadian wife Autumn.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in a blue coat were joined by Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Princess Anne and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
The service was relayed on loudspeakers and the crowd joined in the National Anthem and Once In Royal David’s City. Although not with his girlfriend Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, 32, joked with well-wishers on the way back after Mattins.
Ada Nesbitt, 93, decorated her wheelchair and wore tinsel and Santa earmuffs.
Her daughter Jane Nesbitt, 56, from Norfolk, said: “Harry said you expect to get noticed, dressed like that. It’s a pity to miss the Queen but if she’s not well she’s not well. We thought the Duke wasn’t coming but he obviously did his best.”