Princess Charlotte slows down Sandringham, William goes full protective mode

Prince William and Harry outnumbered by queen in training Charlotte

The walk to church at Sandringham is normally a carefully choreographed royal ritual but this Christmas, Princess Charlotte rewrote the script and won the crowd along the way.

During the traditional walk to St Mary Magdalene Church, the 10-year-old royal emerged as a confident crowd pleaser, happily breaking away from the Prince and Princess of Wales to chat with well-wishers.

Seasoned royal watchers were quick to draw comparisons with her great-aunt Princess Anne, long admired for her no-nonsense warmth and ease with the public.

Footage from the walkabout showed Charlotte lingering behind her family, clearly in no rush to move on while greeting members of the crowd.

At one point, Prince William could be heard gently urging her along. “Charlotte,” he called out, prompting a cheerful grin from his daughter.

“I’m coming,” she replied, before jogging back to rejoin her parents.

But it was another, lesser-seen clip that truly melted hearts. Shared on social media later that day, the video captures Prince William keeping a discreet watch from across the path as Charlotte leaned in for photos.

“Charlotte, you okay?” he calls out amid the royal choreography. Charlotte beams back reassuringly, while William looks on with unmistakable pride.

Many noted her growing confidence and her resemblance to her mother, Princess Kate, who has long been praised for her natural rapport with the public.

Others joked that the Wales men now appear permanently outnumbered during walkabouts, as both Kate and Charlotte take their time ensuring no handshake or selfie is missed.

“She’s got her mum’s ease and her aunt Anne’s fearlessness,” one admirer commented.