Kate Middleton Beams as She Accepts Drawing of Princess Charlotte: 'Shall I Give It to Her When I Get Back Home?'

12/26/2024 03:03 PM

"Did you miss Charlotte?" the Princess of Wales said as she accepted the gift for her only daughter

Kate Middleton was clearly touched to receive a sweet drawing of her daughter, Princess Charlotte, during the traditional Christmas Day walkabout at Sandringham.

On Dec. 25, Kate, Prince William and their kids Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, joined other members of the royal family in greeting members of the public following a church service at St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate, where the royals spend Christmas. The Princess of Wales, 42, knelt down to greet a young fan who held out a drawing that made Kate immediately break "into a beaming smile as she took the gift," according to The Sun.

"Did you miss Charlotte?" Kate said, referencing that the drawing was of her only daughter. "Shall I give it to her when I get back home?"

"That's so kind of you," Princess Kate added, then sharing a handshake with the youngster and wishing her a "Merry Christmas."

Related: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Join Christmas Day Walk to Church After 'Brutal' Year

According to The Daily Mail, Theresa Iredale spoke to Kate briefly and asked the mom of three if it was okay if she gave George, Charlotte and Louis chocolate coins.

"I didn't want to do it without permission, and Kate just said, 'That's fine,' " Iredale said. "I shook her hand and said I was so happy for her that she was feeling so much better, and she said, 'Thank you so much, thanks for the support.' "

Iredale was one of many well-wishers assembled at Sandringham for the annual Christmas Day festivities. Another member of the crowd was John Loughrey, whose late partner Marion Crean died of skin cancer in 2003.

"The weather has been damp, it's been soaking through the sleeping bag and I've had an hour's sleep. But it doesn't matter," Loughrey said.

Loughrey — who was wearing a T-shirt depicting Princess Kate and had a Christmas rose bouquet for her — said, "Catherine has been an inspiration to us all, and her positivity has been amazing to see. She's got support all around the world."

Of the royals — including King Charles, who was also diagnosed with cancer this year — Loughrey added, "It has been a difficult year for them, and there are millions of people supporting them."

"I think, to be honest, there probably isn't anyone in the world who has seen the royal family as many times as me, and I'm proud of that," he continued.

Fellow royal family aficionado Sky London said "I didn't get much sleep" the night prior because Loughrey "kept trying to yap to me."

"The only place I'd rather be than outside here at Sandringham today is probably inside Sandringham with them," London added. "So this is the next best thing. When you do this sort of thing, you don't actually need much sleep. You feel refreshed and ready to go. It means the world to me to see them."

Related: Prince Louis Received So Many Gifts from Well-Wishers on Christmas He Asked Prince William 'Papa, Can You Carry Some?'

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In addition to a young fan giving a gift to Princess Charlotte, her younger brother Prince Louis also cleaned up in the gift department. The youngest of the three Wales kids had his arms so full of presents — from Cadbury chocolates to Christmas crackers, flowers and stuffed toys — that he sweetly asked his father Prince William, "Papa, can you carry some?"