Princess Charlotte stole the show by hugging well-wishers as the Royal Family marked Christmas this year, prompting some to draw comparisons between the young royal and the late Queen.

The 10-year-old joined her parents, siblings, and wider family for the annual Christmas Day church service in Sandringham this morning.

It comes after the young girl wowed viewers of her mum the Princess of Wales’ Christmas carol concert on ITV last night by playing the piano.

Walking alongside her mum Kate, Charlotte wore a grown up light brown coat with dark brown trim along with her now signature bow in her hair. After enjoying the church service, Charlotte and her brothers Prince George and Prince Louis, said hello to gatherers who had come to meet them, and even managed to bag a handful of gifts.

Before that, the princess could be seen chatting with Mike and Zara Tindall’s daughters Mia and Lena. After Charlotte, who resembled the late Queen Elizabeth, could be seen laden with flowers and gifts while future King George clutched a soft toy as did his younger brother Louis. And in one endearing moment, Charlotte gave one royal fan in a wheelchair a hug reaching down to embrace the woman who was wrapped in a blanket to keep warm.

Prince George of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales attend the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2025 -Credit:Samir Hussein
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The Wales family Christmas Day celebrations come after Kate and Princess Charlotte’s pre-recorded Christmas piano duet aired last night. The mother and daughter sat together to play a piece they know well by Scottish composer Erland Cooper, for Kate’s Christmas carol concert, according to the Mirror.

Kate and Charlotte’s piano performance was for the Together at Christmas concert, held at Westminster Abbey on December 5, and was pre-recorded last week so did not feature at the live event – but it was aired as part of the ITV1 screening of the service on Christmas Eve.

The Waleses are spending the festive season together, but will visit the Norfolk royal residence on Christmas Day. The family-of-five experienced a major change just a few weeks ago when they moved into their eight-bedroom “forever home”, Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park.

The change marks a new era for the Waleses after Kate’s recovery from cancer, which she announced at the start of 2025, following what William branded a “brutal” 2024.

Just hours after wowing with her piano performance, Princess Charlotte charmed the crowds at Sandringham – with some comparing her to the late Queen -Credit:Getty

The royal family usually walk to church on Christmas morning and enjoy a traditional turkey roast with all the trimmings, before sitting down to watch the King’s Christmas broadcast on television.

This year, the King has urged the nation to “never lose sight” in a divisive world of the Second World War values of “courage and sacrifice” and community spirit in his Christmas message.

In the wake of the Bondi Beach shootings and the Manchester synagogue attack, Charles also praised the “spontaneous bravery” of those who put themselves in “harm’s way to defend others”.

The annual Christmas broadcast is written by the King and is the rare occasion when he does not turn to the Government for advice, and he put communities at the heart of his message, commenting on the benefits of their “diversity” and how they displayed courage in adversity.