While many of the King's royal relatives rocked up to his pre-Christmas lunch in their cars, his cousin, David Armstrong-Jones, the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, chose an eco-friendlier mode of transport.
The late Princess Margaret's son, 64, was pictured arriving at the festive bash at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday on a pushbike. David wore a protective navy coat with an orange hi-vis jacket and a pair of smart grey trousers. While he opted not to wear a helmet, he did sport a baseball cap and a pair of brown suede gloves as he smiled at passers-by.
It's not the first time that David has spotted cycling around London – he made a similar entrance to the late Queen Elizabeth II's pre-Christmas lunch in 2019.
The furniture maker and honorary chairman of Christie's EMERI, told The Telegraph back in 2011 how he loves to cycle to his office from his flat in Chelsea.
"The commute – on my slightly camp bike with a basket – only takes about 10 minutes," he shared at the time.
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© Getty ImagesBack in 2003, a year after his mother Princess Margaret's death, David and a group of friends cycled 325 miles from London to Paris to raise awareness and funds for The Princess Margaret Fund at The Stroke Association. Margaret, who was the sister of Queen Elizabeth II, suffered a number of strokes in the latter years of her life so the challenge was a personal one for the Earl.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesDavid isn't the only royal who loves to cycle. In 2016, the then Countess of Wessex completed a 450-mile cycling challenge from Edinburgh to London to raise funds for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
© Getty ImagesRevealing how she prepared for the feat, Sophie said at the time: "I've been very lucky that a PTI from Sandhurst has been pushing me around quite a lot of hills and lanes of Hampshire, and all sorts of places actually. It's been a lot of hard work, a lot of early mornings and many hours in the saddle."
Royal reunion
The Earl's daughter, Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones, was also pictured among the arrivals at the King's pre-Christmas lunch.
The jewellery designer, 23, was seen sharing a car with her aunt, Lady Sarah Chatto, 61.
© Getty ImagesDavid also has a son, musician Charles Armstrong-Jones, 26, from his marriage to Serena Stanhope.
The couple, who married at St Margaret's Church in Westminster in 1993, announced their separation in 2020.
