This Christmas, I found myself somewhere I'd only ever watched from afar. After years of covering the British royal family's Christmas morning from behind a computer screen, this year, I was standing along the pathway to St Mary Magdalene Church at Sandringham. Yes, I had myself a very merry, royal Christmas.
Just last year, I kid you not, I said I would love to one day experience Christmas at Sandringham. Little did I know 2025 would be the year, and that instead of writing about them, I'd be wishing King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and their children — Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis — a merry Christmas in person.
My royal Christmas Day started early, very early, at 5 am to be exact, to make the journey from King's Lynn to the Sandringham Estate. I should note it was only my third day ever driving in the UK, so it didn't exactly come as a shock when I was pulled over by the police on my way to Sandringham. No, I wasn't speeding or driving in the wrong lane, I was going too slowly.
"Are you okay?" the officer who approached my window asked.
"Yes," I said, explaining that I was an American still getting used to driving on the left, and asking if the reason I'd been stopped was because I was going so slow. He laughed and then inquired if I was heading to see the royals, since that's where they were going. I asked if I could follow them and they led the way, albeit with me trailing behind.
I arrived at the estate just after 6:30 am, and much to my surprise, the crowds were not huge. I think I had been frightened into believing that I needed to be there at the crack of dawn. While I would have loved an extra hour or two of sleep, arriving when I did paid off. I ended up in the first queue section, which was closed off early and entered the gates before a second, much larger line.
Although it was early and chilly out, everyone seemed happy to be there, united by a common interest: the royals, which made making friends easy. I met Mandy, Wendy and Andy (thanks again for the chair, Andy!) and even ran into Officer Jamie, who had pulled me over earlier that morning.
We'd all been told the gates wouldn't open until 9:45 am and that we would be searched prior to going in. After clearing security, my newfound friends — also first-timers — and I finally made our way inside at 9:53 am.
One thing that immediately struck me as I entered the grounds was just how short the walk is. In photographs, the distance from the house to the church appears far longer than it actually is.
Outside of St Mary Magdalene Church, well-wishers were handed the order of service, a small keepsake from a memorable day. A fun fact I learned while there: the music from the service can be heard from the outside.
After shifting our spot along the fence, Mandy and I positioned ourselves about halfway along the path. Then, before I knew it, the moment we had all been waiting for, literally, arrived. At 10:56 am, the royals, led by King Charles and Queen Camilla, emerged from the gates of Sandringham House and began their walk to St Mary Magdalene Church.
Right off the bat, I noticed that the Waleses weren't walking directly behind the King and Queen. Instead, that spot was occupied by the King's niece, Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. After everything that has transpired in recent months, and following Eugenie and Princess Beatrice's absence from Catherine's Together at Christmas carol service, it was lovely to see the two sisters smiling as they stepped out with their family. I wondered if Eugenie's position in the walk was a subtle show of support for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's daughters. Mandy thought it felt very much like a statement.
After the service, which lasted less than an hour, the royals begin their walk back to the house, greeting the waiting crowds. Mandy told Eugenie: "Lovely to see you all," to which the Princess simply replied: "Thank you."
While I've seen videos of previous Christmases, I wasn't sure I'd actually walk away having greeted a member of the royal family, so needless to say, I was delighted I got to wish King Charles and the entire Wales family a merry Christmas. But, perhaps the highlight of the morning, was witnessing the now-viral moment of Prince Louis receiving his Lindt chocolate ball.
"What is that?!" the Prince of Wales laughed.
My new friend presented the gift to Prince William for his younger son Louis, who adorably grabbed it from his father's hands upon hearing it was for him, and hugged the ball.
"That's very kind. Thank you very much," the heir to the throne said, also accepting candies for Prince George and wishing each of us a happy Christmas.
While gifts and flowers are collected to free up the royals' arms, Louis, seven, seemingly did not want to part with his chocolate. "He's not sharing that," one person in the crowd was heard joking.
At one point, as the royals made their way back, Charlotte, who at ten years old exudes incredible confidence, happily posed for a selfie and a photo with a group of well-wishers, while her father called out to her. The little Princess appeared to reply "coming" before smiling for the picture.
I was genuinely impressed by how polite the Wales children are and how gracefully they handle the spotlight, meeting strangers and engaging with the crowd. They've clearly taken after their parents, exhibiting the same poise and charm.
No surprise, the Princess of Wales trailed behind her husband and kids, speaking to members of the crowds, accepting flowers and wishing well-wishers a happy Christmas.
It goes without saying, this Christmas morning was unlike any I’d experienced before. If you ever find yourself dreaming of a royal — rather than a white — Christmas, I can't recommend enough adding Sandringham to your bucket list. I’m happy to have checked it off mine, and who knows, maybe I'll jingle my way back to Sandringham another Christmas.