Kate Middleton took her time greeting members of the public on Christmas, even if it meant having her family wait for her in the past!
The Princess of Wales, 43, joined the rest of the royal family -- including her husband, Prince William, and children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7 -- for their annual church outing on Dec. 25. After the holiday service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Norfolk, they greeted well-wishers who had gathered outside.
According to royal reporter Rebecca English, Princess Kate "lagged behind on the way out, shaking as many hands as possible."
Kate is known to be generous with her time in greeting members of the public, including during last year's Christmas outing. Realizing that she was far behind her husband and children, the royal mom quipped to a group of well-wishers, "I seem to have lost my family!"
Prince William, 43, and his three children were seen far down the path waiting for Princess Kate. In a moment that gained attention online, William was seen pulling out his phone -- widely believed to be calling a protection officer to have Kate move along and catch up with them!
It was a welcome sight to have the Princess of Wales at the royal family's 2024 Christmas gathering after she spent much of the year out of the public eye amid her cancer diagnosis and treatment. (She announced in January that she was in remission.) Among her greetings on last year's holiday was a conversation with someone else who was facing cancer.
Karen Maclean, who has had cancer for over two decades, told Sky News, "We just had a little talk about cancer," adding that both Kate and King Charles seemed "very well, actually, considering what they're going through."
As in previous years, Princess Kate was seen accepting gifts like flowers from members of the public. Meanwhile, her three children were showered with treats and stuffed animals -- and Prince Louis was particularly excited about a giant chocolate egg!
The official royal gift policy states that members of the royal family are allowed to keep gifts from individuals not personally known to them, including the public. Flowers, food and other consumable items (within reasonable quantities) are acceptable, as are copies of books presented by an author, provided the subject matter is not controversial. Other items of smaller monetary value may also be kept by royals, specifically those that cost less than $200.