Dec. 28, 2025
Royal Christmas Walk Recap: Beatrice and Eugenie Step Forward as Louis Steals the Show
The Royal Family marked Christmas Day with the traditional church walk at Sandringham, as King Charles the Third and Queen Camilla were joined by Prince William, Catherine and their children at St Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk.
Princesses Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie made a notable appearance alongside senior royals, a move some observers see as quietly testing public reaction. The Wales children greeted crowds, with Prince Louis providing the day’s lightest moment by proudly claiming a giant chocolate gift during the walkabout.
Across the Atlantic, Meghan shared a glimpse of a low-key family Christmas in a holiday message, while the contrast between Sandringham tradition and California calm underlined just how divided the modern royal Christmas has become.
Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.
Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 BEFORE REGULAR LISTENERS as a subscriber! Hit that "UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING" Banner on the top of the Apple player. AND listen to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
WEBVTT
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:11.160
Calorougus Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Ballast Intrigue. I
2
00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:13.919
am your host and mark for ances. As always, the
3
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:17.079
Royals were very active at Christmas time. As our never
4
00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:21.039
ending soap opera continues, people watching has become a big
5
00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:24.039
part of the day. King Charles and Queen Camilla attended
6
00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:27.960
the traditional Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, joined by
7
00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.280
senior members of the royal family, including the Prince and
8
00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:34.119
Princess of Wales and their children. The service took place
9
00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:36.880
at Saint Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk, where the King, Queen,
10
00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:40.240
Prince William, Catherine and their three children emerged shortly before
11
00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:42.479
midday to Greek crowds who had gathered in the cold
12
00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.920
Christmas morning air. Many had queued from its earli as
13
00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:48.880
nine o'clock on Christmas Eve, traveling from across the UK,
14
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.560
Europe and the United States to see the family. Notably
15
00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:55.960
present were Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie with their husbands.
16
00:00:56.119 --> 00:00:59.520
By attending the Sandringham Christmas Day precession, Princess Eugenie and
17
00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:02.679
Princess be Tatrits signaled a clear choice to align themselves
18
00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:06.280
publicly with the royal family rather than spending the holiday
19
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:10.200
with their parents. Princess Eugenie arrived with her husband Jack
20
00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:13.120
Brooks Bank, walking directly behind the Princess Royal, who was
21
00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:17.480
accompanied by her husband, Sir Timothy Lawrence. That positioning placed
22
00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.200
the couple prominently in the procession, just behind the King
23
00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:24.519
and Queen. Princess Beatrice, accompanied by her husband EDWARDO Mapelli Mozzi,
24
00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:27.799
was seen nearer the back of the group. Neither sister
25
00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:32.560
brought their children. Zara Tendall, the Princess Royal's daughter, also
26
00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:36.480
attended with her husband Mike Tindall, the former England rugby international,
27
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:39.439
walking not far behind King Charles as the family made
28
00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:43.799
their way to and from Saint Mary Magdalene Church. Their
29
00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:46.239
appearance has been interpreted by some as a quiet test
30
00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:50.040
of public reaction. Royal expert Andrew Lowney suggested the occasion
31
00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.920
carried wider significance, saying Charles is testing the waters with them,
32
00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:56.439
giving them the odd job to see what public opinion
33
00:01:56.519 --> 00:02:01.079
is like if they are given royal duties. Lowey cautioned
34
00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:03.879
that their presence does not automatically signal a return as
35
00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:07.439
full working royals. Louey said the association of their parents,
36
00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:10.919
Andrew and Sarah Ferguson with Jeffrey Epstein, have raised serious
37
00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:14.159
financial questions, adding that a more detailed review of the
38
00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.879
princess's business affairs may be required to make sure they
39
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:20.240
were all in order and there was nothing that could
40
00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:24.280
prove embarrassing. He added that if any problems were uncovered,
41
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:27.960
we may see they are cut loose. In The Royalist,
42
00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.680
Tom Sykes was more appointed, writing King Charles repeats his
43
00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:34.199
biggest Andrew mistake at Christmas Walk. According to Sikes, the
44
00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.800
Royal Christmas Walk to Church was for decades one of
45
00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:40.360
those perfectly calibrated winds and non events, a bit of tweed,
46
00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:44.360
some staged chats with the hoy ploy. The point was continuity,
47
00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:48.719
not news. Nothing happened, and that was the point. Then
48
00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.919
King Charles ascended the throne this year. Once again Charles
49
00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:54.840
ensured that the walk was not just newsworthy, but explosively
50
00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:58.039
so by making the extraordinary decision to parade the daughters
51
00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:01.439
of his disgraced brother Andrew, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie at
52
00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:04.680
his side in full public view, at precisely the moment
53
00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.240
when their father's humiliation had once again been freshly underlined
54
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:12.199
in the most toxic possible way. It reminded the country
55
00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.560
that the Windsor's instinct, when faced with scandal is to
56
00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:18.199
close ranks and brazen it out. Charles seems to think,
57
00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.360
for some insane reason, that the danger is past. He
58
00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:24.360
appears determined to march down the same doomed road he
59
00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.400
has traveled before, the road of misplaced consolation, of weakness,
60
00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:31.159
of assuming that a differential public can be coaxed into
61
00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:35.800
acceptance if the Palace projects enough sorene confidence. We have
62
00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:38.159
seen this movie already. On the last Christmas of the
63
00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:41.199
late Queen Elizabeth's life, Andrew did not walk to church
64
00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:45.240
the first Christmas of charles reign. He did. The second Christmas,
65
00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.680
Andrew and Sarah Ferguson both made the walk. It was
66
00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:51.400
a disaster that provoked fury and disbelief. By the following year,
67
00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.319
Andrew's involvement with a Chinese spy meant he was sidelined again,
68
00:03:55.800 --> 00:03:57.960
this time at the insistence of Prince William, whose view
69
00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:01.000
has long been that his uncle represents an existential threat
70
00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:07.159
to the monarchy's credibility. That fundamental disagreement William immovable Charles
71
00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:09.759
indulgent has been one of the central fault lines of
72
00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.000
the modern Royal family, and yet here we are again
73
00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:17.319
watching the King repeat his mistakes. The royal family arrived
74
00:04:17.319 --> 00:04:19.519
outside the church just before eleven o'clock and were welcomed
75
00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:23.920
by Reverend Canon Doctor Paul REYE. Williams, who led their service.
76
00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.079
Proceedings inside were relayed to the crowds outside via speakers. Afterwards,
77
00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:30.759
members of the family spent time speaking with well wishes
78
00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:34.600
gathered on the grass nearby. Prince George, Prince Charlotte, Prince
79
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.399
Lewis was seen engaging independently with members of the public,
80
00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.759
accepting Christmas cards, small gifts, flowers, and chocolate boxes, and
81
00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:46.079
chatting as they shook hands. Catherine spent extended time speaking
82
00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:49.079
with individuals along the route, holding several bouquets that had
83
00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.439
been handed to her. Charlotte was seen enjoying time with
84
00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:55.399
cousins close to her own age, walking alongside Mia and
85
00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:58.439
Lena Tindall. The three Goals were smiling and chatting together
86
00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:00.639
as they made their way out of the church, before
87
00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:05.199
joining other family members to greet well wishes gathered outside.
88
00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:07.439
Prince Louis provided one of the lighter moments of the
89
00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:11.079
royal family's Christmas Day celebrations at Sandringham, displaying a clear
90
00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:16.319
enthusiasm for seasonal treats. During the traditional church walk as
91
00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.759
the family greeted members of the public after the service,
92
00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:21.240
Louis was handed a large linded chocolate egg by a
93
00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:24.040
well wisher. The gift was initially accepted by the Prince
94
00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.519
of Wales, but Looie quickly took hold of it, hugging
95
00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:29.720
the chocolate and appearing visibly delighted. Prince William was seen
96
00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.680
laughing at the exchange as the son claimed the prize.
97
00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:35.519
George and Charlotte also received flowers and small gifts from
98
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:38.839
the crowd following the church service on Thursday, Louie was
99
00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:41.279
also seen carrying a large teddy bear, along with other
100
00:05:41.319 --> 00:05:45.759
gifts collected during the walkabout more Palace. In Just a Moment,
101
00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.199
Meghan shared a glimpse of her family's Christmas celebrations and
102
00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.439
a festive email newsletter sent out on Christmas morning. In
103
00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.720
the message for her lifestyle brand As Ever, Meghan wrote
104
00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:02.399
about spending the holiday with Prince Harry and their children,
105
00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.759
describing a quiet Christmas Eve at home, writing last night
106
00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:08.439
I was nibbling the remnants of out Christmas Eve feast
107
00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:11.600
dim sum this year, wrapping a few last minute gifts,
108
00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:14.040
and tiptoeing down the stairs with my husband to make
109
00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.079
sure Santa had enjoyed his cookies and the reindeer had
110
00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.000
eaten their carrots. Anything to maintain the morning magic of
111
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:24.519
Christmas through our children's eyes. Looking ahead to Christmas itself,
112
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.639
Megan said, I plan to spend today cuddled up with
113
00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:30.920
my family, maybe pajamas all day, some scrabble or sequence
114
00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.199
or candy land for the kids, music, playing candles, flickering dogs, snoring,
115
00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:37.959
endless grazing, the laugh to the sidebars, the deep breaths,
116
00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:40.839
you know, the ones, the fun and the memories. I
117
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.040
hope that whether you're cozied up in your pajamas like
118
00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.319
we are, addressed to the nines, whether you are with
119
00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.439
a huge gathering with your partner, your kids, are on
120
00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.079
your own, wherever you happen to find yourself today, reading
121
00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.160
this note, that you know I am wishing you a
122
00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:54.920
merry Christmas and all the blessings that come with it.
123
00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:58.959
From my family to yours, happy holidays, and they have it.
124
00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:02.639
I'd like to email us addresses the palasindric at gmail
125
00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:07.120
dot com. Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or Facebook, Instagram,
126
00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:09.319
all the social media sites. We're all over the place.
127
00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:11.319
Come and say hi and mink Francis my thanks to
128
00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.199
John mcdermoy. This is balance. Intrigue continues
1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:11.160
2
00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:13.919
3
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:17.079
4
00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:21.039
5
00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:24.039
6
00:00:24.039 --> 00:00:27.960
7
00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.280
8
00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:34.119
9
00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:36.880
10
00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:40.240
11
00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:42.479
12
00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:45.920
13
00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:48.880
14
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:52.560
15
00:00:52.560 --> 00:00:55.960
16
00:00:56.119 --> 00:00:59.520
17
00:00:59.520 --> 00:01:02.679
18
00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:06.280
19
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:10.200
20
00:01:10.239 --> 00:01:13.120
21
00:01:13.120 --> 00:01:17.480
22
00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:20.200
23
00:01:20.239 --> 00:01:24.519
24
00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:27.799
25
00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:32.560
26
00:01:32.760 --> 00:01:36.480
27
00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:39.439
28
00:01:39.439 --> 00:01:43.799
29
00:01:43.799 --> 00:01:46.239
30
00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:50.040
31
00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.920
32
00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:56.439
33
00:01:56.519 --> 00:02:01.079
34
00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:03.879
35
00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:07.439
36
00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:10.919
37
00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:14.159
38
00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:17.879
39
00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:20.240
40
00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:24.280
41
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:27.960
42
00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:30.680
43
00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:34.199
44
00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.800
45
00:02:36.840 --> 00:02:40.360
46
00:02:40.719 --> 00:02:44.360
47
00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:48.719
48
00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:51.919
49
00:02:51.960 --> 00:02:54.840
50
00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:58.039
51
00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:01.439
52
00:03:01.439 --> 00:03:04.680
53
00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:08.240
54
00:03:08.240 --> 00:03:12.199
55
00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.560
56
00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:18.199
57
00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:21.360
58
00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:24.360
59
00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:28.400
60
00:03:28.439 --> 00:03:31.159
61
00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:35.800
62
00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:38.159
63
00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:41.199
64
00:03:41.800 --> 00:03:45.240
65
00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:47.680
66
00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:51.400
67
00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:55.319
68
00:03:55.800 --> 00:03:57.960
69
00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:01.000
70
00:04:01.120 --> 00:04:07.159
71
00:04:07.159 --> 00:04:09.759
72
00:04:09.759 --> 00:04:12.000
73
00:04:12.280 --> 00:04:17.319
74
00:04:17.319 --> 00:04:19.519
75
00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:23.920
76
00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.079
77
00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:30.759
78
00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:34.600
79
00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.399
80
00:04:37.759 --> 00:04:41.759
81
00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:46.079
82
00:04:46.079 --> 00:04:49.079
83
00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:52.439
84
00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:55.399
85
00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:58.439
86
00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:00.639
87
00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:05.199
88
00:05:05.319 --> 00:05:07.439
89
00:05:07.480 --> 00:05:11.079
90
00:05:11.240 --> 00:05:16.319
91
00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.759
92
00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:21.240
93
00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:24.040
94
00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.519
95
00:05:26.519 --> 00:05:29.720
96
00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:32.680
97
00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:35.519
98
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:38.839
99
00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:41.279
100
00:05:41.319 --> 00:05:45.759
101
00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.199
102
00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:56.439
103
00:05:56.480 --> 00:05:59.720
104
00:05:59.720 --> 00:06:02.399
105
00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.759
106
00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:08.439
107
00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:11.600
108
00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:14.040
109
00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:17.079
110
00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.000
111
00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:24.519
112
00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:27.639
113
00:06:27.639 --> 00:06:30.920
114
00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.199
115
00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:37.959
116
00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:40.839
117
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.040
118
00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.319
119
00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:47.439
120
00:06:47.439 --> 00:06:50.079
121
00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:52.160
122
00:06:52.560 --> 00:06:54.920
123
00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:58.959
124
00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:02.639
125
00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:07.120
126
00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:09.319
127
00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:11.319
128
00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.199
