The Princess of Wales and her two youngest children, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, flew under the radar earlier this week when they attended a secret festive outing in Norfolk.
Like many families preparing for Christmas, Kate took her children to see the Thursford Christmas Spectacular, described on its official website as “an extravaganza of non-stop singing, dancing, music, humour and speciality acts.”
Taking to Instagram, Lloyd Hollett, the comedian who helmed the show, shared a picture of the stage with the caption: "What a day… Today, we were honoured by the presence of Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, alongside Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who attended our matinee performance. Seeing them in the Royal Box enjoying our show was truly a career highlight. We’re definitely going out on a high, with our final performance now underway."
According to Marie Clare, the performance took place on 23 December – just two days before the family were spotted wishing visitors a "Merry Christmas" at the traditional Christmas Day walkabout following the morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate.
What is Thursford Christmas Spectacular?
With a run-time of three hours, the Thursford Christmas Spectacular is a "fast-moving celebration of the festive season" including an "eclectic mix of both seasonal and year-round favourites".
Boasting a cast of more than 120 performers across a 130-foot stage, the show proudly states it's "one of the biggest Christmas shows of its kind in Europe".
This year marked the show's 48th production, and it has received awards for the Best Christmas Experience at the 2024 & 2025 Group Leisure and Travel Awards.
The Wales children's Christmas Day outing
While Kate, Charlotte and Louis enjoyed a low-key festive performance, they returned to their usual public duties on Christmas Day, warmly greeting well-wishers after the morning service at Sandringham Church.
HELLO!'s US Royal News Correspondent Alexandra Hurtado, who was in attendance, said: "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."