Prince William revealed what the Royal Family’s Christmas Day church service is truly like, admitting, «Thankfully, no one is filming it.»
On December 25, the royal family is seen by the world as they leave their morning church service at St. Mary Magdalene, strolling past a crowd of well-wishers before heading back to Sandringham House for their Christmas Day lunch.
However, what remains unseen is the intimate atmosphere inside the walls of St. Mary Magdalene, located on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Fortunately, Prince William gave a rare glimpse into this private experience during his appearance on the Apple Fitness+ podcast *Time to Walk* in 2021.
During the podcast, Prince William, 42, shared insights while walking through the Sandringham grounds, even passing by the church that holds deep significance for the royal family. He described how the family sits opposite each other during the service.
«What’s very good about it is that we sit opposite each other as a family, and growing up, having my cousins sat opposite me has always been quite difficult to keep a straight face at times,» he revealed.
Although he didn’t mention anyone specifically, Prince William likely referred to his cousins Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall—children of Princess Anne—along with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson.
Also in the mix would be his younger brother, Prince Harry.
Prince William went on to share a lighthearted moment from the service: “I’ve had the giggles many, many times during the service.
Luckily, no one’s filming it, so you can get away with it. And on Christmas Day, it’s fun to have a giggle and enjoy yourself.”
Reflecting on the royal family’s famous Christmas Day walks to church, William recalled, «I have strong memories of walking down here, and my grandfather [Prince Philip], he used to walk so fast that there’d be huge gaps between us, and there’d be us at the back with little legs trying to keep up.»
He added that the walk is accompanied by the comforting scent of pine trees, which are iconic in this part of Norfolk, and that he loves the soothing aroma of pine in the winter.
He also noted that these walks to church have been a family tradition for many years.
“It must be at least 25 years by now,” he said. “You start to feel quite attached to those moments and those memories,” he added, showing just how meaningful these shared experiences are for the royal family.
