On Tuesday, members of the royal family gathered at Buckingham Palace to enjoy a big sit-down pre-Christmas lunch, and now one of the royal family members has shared a little glimpse behind the scenes of the special occasion.
Flora Vesterberg, the granddaughter of Princess Alexandra of Kent, was one of around 70 family members who were invited to the get-together, and took a moment before entering Buckingham Palace to share a few snaps of herself on route to the exciting afternoon.
"On our way to an early Christmas celebration," wrote the British art historian, writer, broadcaster, and philanthropist, sharing a photograph of herself posing in front of a white terraced townhouse synonymous with only the most affluent boroughs in the UK capital.
Oozing festive chic, Flora wore a beautiful blue velvet coat from Maria de la Orden, which she paired with a chic, petite black bag by Aspinal of London.
Under her festive coat, the art historian, 31, wore an elegant navy blue dress with black tights and a pair of pointed-toe black heels.
The special occasion is an opportunity for the monarch to bring together members of the extended family who won't necessarily be present on the Christmas Day celebrations at Sandringham.
Flora's bond with the royal family
Despite keeping a low profile in comparison to other members of the royal family, Flora is well within the royal fold. As well as being Princess Alexandra's granddaughter, Flora is King Charles's third cousin. Flora was a first cousin twice removed of the late Queen. She attended major events like the Queen’s committal service at Windsor Castle in September 2022 to pay her respects. Flora’s wedding blessing in 2021 was attended by several senior royals, including Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh. Her wedding venue, the Chapel Royal at St. James's Palace, also holds a connection to the Prince and Princess of Wales, as it was the site of Prince George’s baptism.
A poignant year
This year, the royal lineup included the Prince and Princess of Wales with their children, George, Louis and Charlotte. But two people who made headlines were Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, whose attendance was the first time they had gathered with all of their fellow royal family members since King Charles' shock decision to strip their father, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, of his princely titles and royal honours.
This be the first time Andrew won't be spending Christmas Day with his royal family members; it will also be the last before his big move to a property on the Sandringham Estate. HELLO!'s Homes Editor Rachel Avery explains: "There are various properties on the Sandringham estate which could become Andrew's new abode. Wood Farm, where Prince Phillip used to like to stay has been noted as being unlikely, but there's also the newly decorated The Folly, the four-bedroom Gardens House, as well as Park House and York Cottage."
© Max MumbyAs for what Andrew's day-to-day life will look like on the Norfolk estate, which is open to the public all year round, HELLO!'s Royal Editor Emily Nash explains: "Despite the estate being open to members of the public, it is thought Andrew will keep a low profile when he resides there.
"His day-to-day life may not actually look all that different from that at Windsor, given he has been living largely out of the public eye since 2019. Andrew has often been seen out riding in recent years, and that’s something he could easily continue at Sandringham, which is home to the Royal Stud. And as his disastrous Newsnight interview confirmed, he is fond of a 'straightforward shooting weekend', so he will have plenty of opportunity to indulge in that sport on the Norfolk Estate."
