Hundreds of well-wishers gather at St Mary Magdalene church in Sandringham each year on Christmas Day, watching the royal family attend the annual morning church service before going on a short walkabout ahead of returning to their palace for quiet family celebrations.
But while we've enjoyed photographs of royals meeting the public for years, and relished every photograph we saw of the event this year - including fun pictures of the Wales children George, Charlotte and Louis - we've never known exactly how amazing it is to be part of that moment, until now!
© ShutterstockHorse groom Daniel Campbell, 31, lives and works close to the royal residence and so popped down to the church to enjoy the festivities on Christmas day. And Daniel reveals that not only did he get a chance to meet some of the royal family that morning, he also got to hear them sing!
Daniel tells how one family had arrived at 4am that morning from the US, having flown in especially for the moment. "The King met them and I think he was blown away,” he says. “He didn’t expect someone to come all that way to spend Christmas Day seeing them for a few minutes. It was such a lovely atmosphere and a lovely morning. We were all given an order of service and the service was played on loudspeakers outside the church so we could hear the royals singing.”
© Joe Giddens - PA ImagesDaniel was lucky enough to spend a bit of time with the Princess of Wales and to get some incredible photographs of her and her daughter Princess Charlotte, which will appear in the next issue of HELLO! magazine, out in the new year.
It was a very special Christmas morning for onlookers this year who were treated to appearances from the King and Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales and family, and even Sarah, Duchess of York, who made history joining the royal family at church on Christmas day for the first time in decades.
© GettyThe author, 64, was seen walking alongside her ex-husband, the Duke of York, and their daughters, Princess Beatrice, 35, and Princess Eugenie, 33.
Another highlight was seeing the interaction between the Wales children and Mike and Zara Tindall's kids. In one very sweet moment, Mia Tindall stepped towards a member of the crowd to accept some flowers and seemed to be told that the bouquet in question was for her cousin, Princess Charlotte. In a sweet gesture, 8-year-old Charlotte told her cousin it was fine for her to collect the flowers, and a beaming Mia did just that.
© Samir HusseinLeading Celebrity Body Language Expert and Sunday Times Bestseller of You Only Live Once, Noor Hibbert, told HELLO! that Kate Middleton portrayed a sense of unity and leadership when she stepped out with her family this Christmas.
"As the Waleses walk to the church, Kate confidently leads her family as the public watch. Her physical connection with Princess Charlotte by holding her hand, symbolises a transformation from timidity to assertiveness.
"This demonstrates Kate’s leadership but also a way for her to communicate a sense of security and guidance to her children. Her protective stance can be seen as a psychological defence mechanism, expressing her instinct to shield her family from any external scrutiny."
