As always, the royals made plenty of headlines with their Christmas celebrations at Sandringham – but one family member’s absence managed to slip under the radar.
Peter Phillips reportedly opted to spend the holiday with fiancee Harriet Sperling and her family rather than with his royal relatives on their Norfolk estate.
Princess Anne’s son and the pediatric nurse announced their engagement in August, and per Hello, Sperling was scheduled to work over Christmas.
Peter Phillips and fiancee Harriet Sperling missed Christmas at Sandringham, but are now at the royal estate. (PA Images via Getty Images)
Fans had hoped she might make her Sandringham debut this year by joining the royals for their annual walk to St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day.
However, the couple has since made an appearance on the estate, attending a church service on Sunday.
They joined King Charles, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh as they walked to church, with well-wishers lining the path.
Earl Snowdon and his children Lady Margarita and Charles Armstrong-Jones were also in attendance.
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The newly-engaged couple joined royals for a church service on Sunday. (PA Images via Getty Images)
King Charles, Prince Edward and Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh were among the royals in attendance. (PA Images via Getty Images)
Phillips wasn’t the only royal to miss Christmas at Sandringham this year.
As expected, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was absent from the family gathering, spending the holiday miles away at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
However, his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie attended the Sandringham celebrations in a move that came as a surprise to many.
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Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice joined the royals for Christmas, while their father marked the holiday in exile. (Getty)
It’s being perceived as a show of support from King Charles to his nieces months after their father, formerly Prince Andrew, was sensationally stripped of his royal titles.
Phillips’ sister Zara Tindall also joined the royals for Christmas, walking to church on Thursday with husband Mike and their daughters Mia and Lena.
The couple’s son Lucas is yet to make his debut at the annual walkabout.
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