King Charles III and Queen Camilla Begin New Year with Church Service in Sandringham
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King Charles III is starting off the new year by bringing back a tradition.
The monarch, 74, and his wife Camilla, Queen Consort, 75, attended a morning New Year's Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, a beloved annual tradition of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
King Charles III was photographed visiting the U.K. church wearing a blue suit and grey tweed coat with brown leather shoes, while Camilla opted for a black jacket, black boots, and a grey hat with feathers.
As part of the New Year's Day outing, the two met with the Bishop of Norwich, Graham Usher, and the Reverend Canon, Dr. Paul Williams, outside the church. King Charles III also greeted crowds waiting near St. Mary Magdalene Church and was captured talking to a group of onlookers while they snapped photos.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty
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The royal family's tradition of attending a New Year's Day service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham ceased for two years due to the pandemic and Queen Elizabeth's health. The queen celebrated the holidays at Windsor Castle in 2021 and 2020 before her death on Sept. 8, 2022.
For the 2022 holiday season, the royal family returned to Sandringham. On Christmas morning, they stepped out for church at St. Mary Magdalene, greeting members of the public following the service and then heading back to Sandringham House for a traditional turkey lunch with all the trimmings.
"Charles has always been very, very fond of Sandringham," says royal biographer Ingrid Seward. "Christmas within any family is always about tradition. He will keep it the same as it ever was."
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King Charles III's first Christmas speech as king echoed the sentiments Queen Elizabeth often shared in her holiday speeches. He touched on the need to come together for the holidays and, as Queen Elizabeth classically did, closed his holiday remarks on a positive note.
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"While Christmas is, of course, a Christian celebration, the power of light overcoming darkness is celebrated across the boundaries of faith and belief," he said. "So, whatever faith you have, or whether you have none, it is in this life-giving light, and with the true humility that lies in our service to others, that I believe we can find hope for the future. Let us, therefore, celebrate it together and cherish it always."
King Charles III's coronation is scheduled for May 6.
