Pregnant Princess Beatrice joins royal Christmas at last-minute with rarely seen stepson

Princess Beatrice had a last-minute change of plan and decided to join the royals at Sandringham for Christmas despite her father Prince Andrew and sister Princess Eugenie not being there

A pregnant Princess Beatrice made a last-minute appearance with the royals at Church on Christmas Day today.

The 36-year-old, who is expecting her second child, made the late decision to join the family at Sandringham after initially planning to spend the festive season with husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his family. It came after it emerged that her father Prince Andrew would not be at Sandringham after deciding to stay away amid the controversy surrounding his links to an alleged Chinese spy. However, Beatrice received medical advice and had been guided not to travel long distances.

Therefore she decided to make the trip to Sandringham with husband Edo and their daughter Sienna, aged three. For church today, Beatrice wore a camel coat and walked with husband Edo and his son Wolfie, whom her shares with former partner Dara Huang.

They were led by King Charles, 76, and Queen Camilla, 77, as they walked the short distance from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church, past a crowd of well-wishers. They were joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six. William walked hand in hand with Charlotte, and Kate who wore a green coat and hat, smiled at the crowds. Also in the walking party was the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh.

Beatrice's royal baby will be a little brother or sister for Sienna, and Mr Mapelli Mozzi’s son and Beatrice’s stepson, eight-year-old Wolfie. A large number of royals are being hosted by the King and Queen at Sandringham on Christmas Day, with the Prince of Wales revealing recently 45 people will be “all in one room” at the royal residence.

However, not among them is Beatrice's sister Princess Eugenie, who for the first time ever is spending Christmas with her husband Jack Brooksbank's family.

Members of the royal family who walked to the service were greeted at the foot of the steps to the church by the Reverend Canon Dr Paul Rhys Williams. They then headed inside and the national anthem was sung before the first hymn, O Come, All Ye Faithful. Earlier this year, William described the past year, in which his wife and father were treated for cancer, as 'brutal'. He said that 2024 has "probably been the hardest year in my life" and a 'dreadful' experience.

After the morning trip to St Mary Magdalene Church and the greeting of well-wishers, the family are expected to tuck into a lunch of turkey and all the trimmings.

Afterwards traditionally members of the royal family sit down to watch the monarch's televised address when it airs after lunch at 3pm on December 25. This year, they will watch King Charles' third Christmas address. An image of Charles, taken during the recording of his festive address from Fitzrovia Chapel in Central Lodnon, has already been released ahead of the broadcast being screened later today.