Prince George and Princess Charlotte walk hand-in-hand with William and Kate to first Sandringham service

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PRINCE George and Princess Charlotte joined the Queen at at the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day church service for the first time.

George six, and four-year-old Charlotte walked the short distance from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church hand in hand with their proud parents, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Prince Charles walked alongside them.

George, aged six, and four-year-old Charlotte, walked hand in hand with their parents
George and Charlotte made their first appearance at the traditional Christmas Day church service
Prince William and Prince George make their way to the church for the Royal Family’s Christmas Day service
George and younger sister Charlotte walked the short distance from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church hand in hand with their parents the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
Six-year-old Prince George pictured outside the church on a beautiful Christmas Day morning
George made his first appearance at the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham, in Norfolk
The Queen arrives at church for the annual Christmas Day service

It comes after Prince William and Kate released a new photograph showing the duke kissing his youngest son, Louis, alongside George and Charlotte.

The picture was posted by Kensington Palace on Twitter with the message: “Merry Christmas to all our followers!”

Earlier today the Queen arrived for the service without her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, who was released from hospital on Christmas Eve.

Meanwhile scandal-hit Prince Andrew was supported by Prince Charles today in a show of solidarity as they walked together for the annual Christmas Day church service.

The Duke made his way to the service around 9am – before the public were let in ahead of the 11am service.

It was Andrew’s first public appearance since his car crash Newsnight interview where he failed to express any sympathy for the victims of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Andrew said he did not regret having been a friend of Epstein, who killed himself in jail aged 66 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.

The Duke was also ridiculed over his repeated denials of any sexual relationship with then 17-year-old Virginia Roberts.

He claimed he had taken his daughter Princess Beatrice to a Pizza Express in Woking on the night he is accused of sleeping with Roberts, a “sex slave” of Epstein.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle did not attend this year’s church service as they are in Canada taking a break from royal duties with their son Archie.

Prince Andrew attended the church service with his brother Charles in a show of solidarity
The scandal-hit royal was supported by his brother Charles
The Queen arriving at the church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham

Meanwhile Prince Philip was discharged from hospital yesterday following a four-night at the King Edward VII’s hospital.

The 98-year-old was treated as a precaution for a “pre-existing condition”.

The prince then travelled by helicopter to Sandringham to join the rest of the royal family for Christmas.

In her Christmas Day TV message the Queen will refer to her familys “bumpy” 2019 and the nation’s Brexit divisions.

The year has been labelled her second “annus horribilis” – the Latin phrase she used to describe 1992 after the marriages of three of her children collapsed.

This time, son Prince Andrew, 59, has been mired in the scandal of his friendship with US paedo Epstein and claims he slept with a teen sex slave.

Husband Prince Philip, who was admitted to hospital after the speech was recorded, was involved in a car accident at the start of the year.

The duke faced criticism for taking too long to contact the occupants of the other car and for being seen driving without his seat-belt in the days that followed.

And the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken about their struggles living in the public eye.

Brexit has divided the country and Parliament, leading to huge uncertainty.

Her Majesty’s comment is thought to be her first public reference to the personal events her family has experienced this year.

The Earl of Wessex and daughter Lady Louise Windsor arriving for the service
Members of the general public queue up to view the arrival of royals this morning
Prince Philip was treated at hospital as a precaution for a ‘pre-existing condition’

The Queen will refer to her familys ‘bumpy’ 2019 and the nations Brexit divisions in her Christmas Day TV message

The intimate family photo was taken by the Duchess of Cambridge