Charlotte steals the show at Sandringham - as fans say she's a 'pro'
by MAANYA SACHDEVA, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, ROYALS · Mail OnlinePrincess Charlotte stole the spotlight at Sandringham today as she joined her family for Christmas church service this morning - after the 10-year-old was unveiled as the 'secret' star of mother Catherine's Christmas carol concert.
King Charles, 77, hosted the royal family's annual Christmas celebration, with senior royals including Queen Camilla, the Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie in attendance.
Charlotte, who was seen smiling sweetly at her mother during this morning's engagement, was dressed in a camel coat with chocolate brown accents that perfectly complemented Catherine's BLAZE MILANO tartan coat.
After the hour-long church service, the family greeted members of the public before making their way back to Sandringham House for a traditional Christmas dinner.
Videos showed Charlotte gracefully wishing them a 'Merry Christmas' as she accepted a bouquet of red roses from one well-wisher.
Social media users compared the young royal to her mother in posts on X, as one person noted Charlotte 'handled the crowds like a true pro'.
Commenting on the similarities between Catherine and her daughter, one X user wrote: 'Princess Charlotte absolutely shining on the Sandringham Christmas walk!
'Handling the crowds like a true pro with her radiant smile & graciously accepting a stunning bouquet.'
Another said they were 'obsessed' with how the mother-daughter duo were 'twinning' while highlighting the subtle matching detail in their brown outfits.
This isn't new for Charlotte and Catherine, who frequently don oufits that are similar either in colour, texture, print, or accessories.
When they attended King Charles's pre-Christmas bash at Buckingham Palace, Charlotte recreated one of the princess's favourite festive hairstyles.
Photos showed that Charlotte, 10, and the Princess of Wales, 43, both opted for a half-up half-down style that was secured with a bow barrette in a matching fashion moment that left royal fans delighted.
While Kate fastened her gorgeous, caramel tresses with the same black velvet bow she wore to the VE Day concert, her daughter opted for a red bow to match her velvet dress that's perfect for the holiday season.
Fans also highlighted the close relationship between Charlotte and Mia Tindall, 11 - the eldest child of Zara and Mike Tindall - as they were spotted walking out of St Mary Magdalene Church this morning.
It comes after Princess Charlotte was revealed as the 'secret' star of her mother's annual Christmas carol concert that was aired on ITV1 and ITVX last evening.
Their 'absolutely beautiful' rendition of Scottish composer Erland Cooper's Holm Sound brought royal fans to tears, as they noted how proud Catherine looked of Charlotte.
It was shown alongside a voiceover of Kate reading the letter that was given to guests at Westminster Abbey, and footage of people arriving for the service on December 5.
One said: 'Catherine the Princess of Wales knocks it out of the park with everything she does and she makes it seem so effortless. A lovely message to accompany the piano duet with Charlotte, superb.'
Another added: 'Prince William must be so proud of both his beautiful girls. Lovely lovely carol concert.'
The duet was filmed at Inner Hall in Windsor Castle and Catherine personally invited Mr Cooper to accompany them for the performance.
The award-winning musician, who wrote the piece as a tribute to his mother, later described their 'incredible bond' while praising Charlotte's abilities.
On witnessing mother and daughter sharing the stage together for their joint performance, he said: 'It was just lovely. I think I was there for a little bit of encouragement. I mean, imagine anybody performing a piece of music in front of a film crew, and then the person who wrote it.
'Princess Charlotte played beautifully, she really has a wonderful way of playing the lighter notes just beautifully. So we were able to celebrate in that together.'
The Princess of Wales, who has played the piano since the age of 10, first wrote to Mr Cooper to express her love of his music and thank him for his dedication to promoting the beauty of the natural world through his craft.
Through their exchange of messages, the future queen revealed how she had enjoyed teaching Charlotte his compositions at home, creating a special bond between them.
While planning her fifth annual Together at Christmas carol concert, celebrating hundreds of community heroes at Westminster Abbey, the princess requested to play one of her favourite pieces with her daughter as part of the television on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.
While Charlotte joined her mother for what has become one of Kate's most eagerly-anticipated engagements of the year, Prince George also took part in a cherished festive tradition that has a special significance for his father.
The future heir helped his father prepare Christmas lunches for the homeless at the same charity the Prince of Wales visited with his mother, Princess Diana, in 1993.
The Prince and Princess of Wales were beaming today as they watched their children rise to the occasion during one of the royal family's most high-profile appearances of the year.
In what has become something of a festive tradition, the family's outfits were carefully coordinated to send a message of togetherness during the holiday season.
While Charlotte's camel-coloured coat had a chocolate brown velvet collar and cuffs, both Prince George and Prince Louis wore suits with dark coats - just like their father.