Prince William, Prince of Wales and his children Prince George of Wales (C), and Princess Charlotte of Wales hold gifts from well-wishers after attending the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, eastern England, on Dec. 25, 2024.Photo:OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty
OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty
Selfies with the royal family have officially moved to the younger generation!
While with other members of the royal family for their annual Christmas Day walkabout with well-wishers at Sandringham,Princess Charlottestopped to take a selfie with a member of the crowd on Dec. 25.
“Charlotte beamed with a sweet smile as she posed alongside the royal fan for the photograph,”Hello!captured, adding that Charlotte, 9, then went on to accept gifts like flowers and chocolate from the enthusiastic crowd.
Princess Charlotte of Wales attends the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on Dec. 25, 2024 in Sandringham, Norfolk.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Samir Hussein/WireImage
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Nomzamo Mbatha pose for a selfie with young people during the Earthshot Prize Climate Leaders Youth Program on Nov. 4, 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.Chris Jackson/Getty
Chris Jackson/Getty
As PEOPLE previously reported, “While members of the royal family have historically not engaged in photo-taking with the public at events, Prince William and his wife,Kate Middleton, seem to be relaxing the traditional stance andposing for selfieswhen people ask.”
As theroyal family’s websiteput it, “There are no obligatory codes of behavior when greeting members of the royal family.” Though the page explains how to bow and curtsy, it doesn’t elaborate on specific selfie protocol.
Catherine, Princess of Wales poses for a selfie with a concertgoer during a walkabout meeting members of the public on the Long Walk near Windsor Castle, where the Coronation Concert to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla is being held this evening on May 7, 2023 in Windsor, England.Getty
Getty
In January 2023, the Princess of Wales reassured a fan who suddenly became nerve-stricken afterasking to take a selfie with her. “Please don’t worry. It’s okay. We all get nervous,” Kate said before smiling for a photo with him.
Before her death on Sept. 8, 2022,Queen Elizabethwas “starting to get fed up with walkabouts” because of all of the cell phones she saw in crowds, said royal author Ian Lloyd, author ofThe Queen: 70 Chapters in the Life of Elizabeth II.
Lloyd added of the Queen’s only daughter that “Princess Anneonce said that, because of their phones, people now only actually believe they have seen something if they can photograph it, so they lose the immediacy, their memory. Also, there is a lack of respect in this. When the walkabout started 40 or 50 years ago, people would have never dreamed of sticking up a camera in the Queen’s face.”
Queen Elizabeth II following the marriage of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011 in London, England.Chris Jackson/Getty
This protocol has relaxed after her death, and other members of the royal family likePrincess Eugenie,Prince HarryandMeghan Marklehave taken selfies with fans in the recent past. In addition to taking a selfie on Christmas Day, Princess Charlotte — along with her brothers — was inundated withgifts from the public. At one point, George turned to get the attention of his sister and pointed towards the crowd, telling her, “She’s got chocolate for you,” according toHello!.
For the walkabout, Charlotte wore a blue coat dress embroidered with a tartan pattern, navy tights and black Mary Jane pumps. She coordinated with her mother Princess Kate, who wore a forest green Alexander McQueen coat and a green and blue tartan scarf.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, Prince Louis of Wales and Princess Charlotte of Wales attend the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on Dec. 25, 2024 in Sandringham, Norfolk.Samir Hussein/WireImage
Mother and daughter also coordinated looks for Kate’s yearlyTogether at Christmascarol concert at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6, where Charlotte wore a burgundy coat dress and oversized black bow in her hair that matched her mother’s red Alexander McQueen coat with a black velvet bow pinned to her collar.
The Princess of Wales arrives for the Together At Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in London. Picture date: Friday Dec. 6, 2024 and Princess Charlotte during the ‘Together At Christmas’ Carol Service at Westminster Abbey on Dec. 6, 2024 in London, England.James Manning/PA Images via Getty; Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty
James Manning/PA Images via Getty; Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty
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“Charlotte just looks absolutely gorgeous,” Sophie Mirman, founder and creative director of Trotters (the brand responsible for Charlotte’s burgundy coat)told PEOPLE. “It’s wonderful to see her growing up in our designs — does become very special, especially at these big occasions.”
source: people.com