Why the atmosphere at Sandringham was ‘different’ for the Royals this year
Share:
A mother and daughter who met members of the Royal Family at Sandringham said the atmosphere was ‘different’ this year. Karen Anvil, 46, and her daughter Rachel, 24, have been in the crowd at Sandringham for seven years in a row and said that one significant change from the royals was noticed by those in the crowd.
![[Karen Anvil (right) and her daughter Rachel]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/6b47cb41-5612-467e-83cd-cde17118013a-467c.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
The pair, who snapped the famous ‘fab four’ photo at Christmas in 2017, also spotted an unlikely royal friendship and revealed which Duchess was most missed this year. Karen and Rachel said that the reduced size of the family at church on the day, as well as particular enthusiasm to greet the Princess of Wales, were the main reasons that things were ‘different’ this time around.
![[Britain's Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte hold gifts received from well-wishers, on the day of the Royal Family's Christmas Day service at St. Mary Magdalene's church, as the Royals take residence at the Sandringham estate in eastern England, Britain December 25, 2024. REUTERS/Toby Melville]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_234216087-5bf8.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Karen, a maternity care support worker, said: ‘Only half of the family was there, for a start, and people in the crowd really did notice that. ‘They did wonder, where is everybody? It was still heaving. Absolutely heaving. You turn up at 7:00 in the morning, and usually, you’re one of the first people there. But this year there was already a queue.
‘The crowd were all waiting to see Kate. Kate was really grateful for the turnout and people all wanted to see her.’. The Princess of Wales was ‘laden’ with flowers and other gifts from well-wishers after the Christmas church service, some of whom camped out to see her after a year out of public life due to cancer treatment.
They were all waiting for her at the gates and she was only 1/3 of the way down at this point – she was so good and stopped and spoke to as many as people as she could – she’s ace! #princessofwales #katemiddleton #fyp #royalfamily #sandringham #christmas.
