Prince William and Princess Kate attend pre-Christmas lunch with their three children
The royal family's traditional Christmas lunch took place at Buckingham Palace
Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, were all smiles on Tuesday as they arrived at Buckingham Palace with their children for the royal family’s traditional pre-Christmas lunch.
The Prince of Wales was seen driving into the palace grounds with Princess Kate by his side and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, in tow.
The family-of-five looked cheerful as they made their way into the palace, where King Charles hosted the festive gathering.
Prince William and Princess Kate attend pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace
This year’s celebration brought together a full roster of royal relatives ahead of the family’s Christmas Day celebrations at Sandringham.
Among those spotted arriving were Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who rode in together. This marked their first public appearance with the wider royal family since missing the Princess of Wales’ carol service at Westminster Abbey earlier this month.
The Christmas lunch is a long-standing tradition hosted by the monarch. It gives senior and extended members of the royal family a chance to come together ahead of the big day on December 25.
While the royal family’s main Christmas festivities happen at Sandringham, this London-based lunch allows family members who won’t be travelling to Norfolk to share a festive meal.
Also seen arriving at the palace were the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, their daughter Lady Louise Windsor, and Princess Anne and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence. The Duke of Kent, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, was also in attendance.
Mike Tindall, husband to Zara Tindall, has previously shed light on what these festive gatherings look like.
On a podcast in 2019, he said: “There must be about 70 of us there. There are seven tables, and the kiddies have their own little one in a different room. I was on [then] Prince Charles’ table. It was lovely, really good.”
Louis steals the show at royal family’s pre-Christmas lunch
The Princess of Wales looked radiant in a red patterned blouse and dangly earrings for the lunch, her signature brunette hair pulled back for the occasion.
Prince William and son, George, 12, wore suits while Louis, seven, wore a striped jumper with a blue shirt underneath. Meanwhile, Princess Charlotte, 10, wore a cute dark red velvet outfit.
On X, fans shared their thoughts over the Wales family’s arrival. Many were amused by Louis’ pout to cameras from inside the car.
One person said: “I love Prince Louis,” followed by laughing emojis.
Another wrote: “Adorable pic of Prince Louis.”
Princess Charlotte compared to Queen Elizabeth II
Meanwhile, others were distracted by Charlotte’s appearance. Many compared her to the late Queen Elizabeth II, her great-grandmother, and Princess Diana, her grandmother.
One fan said: “She looks like combination of the late Queen and her grandmum.”
Another gushed: “I see the late Queen in her.”
A third added: “She looks like younger version of the late Queen Elizabeth.”
After the meal, William was seen once again behind the wheel. This time, Princess Charlotte sat proudly in the front seat. Their long-time nanny, Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, was also spotted in the back seat.
Following the palace lunch, the royals will make their way to Sandringham next week, where King Charles will host the official Christmas celebrations.
The Prince and Princess of Wales missed last year’s pre-Christmas lunch. They reportedly travelled to Norfolk early to spend more time with their children after school let out.
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