Even though it’s for the best, I’ll miss seeing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex at all of the royal Christmas events, especially the church-walk on Christmas day. Meghan has been to the last two Christmas walks at Sandringham, and both appearances were positive-press moments for her. But Harry and Meghan are in the wind, so now we have to spend all of this time worrying about whether Prince Andrew will slither along the path to the church, and whether anyone from the family will walk with him. So… the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are being called on to take the heat off Andrew. This has been rumored for weeks: this could be the first year we see Princess Charlotte and Prince George on the Christmas walk!
Prince George and Princess Charlotte will make their first public Christmas outing this year, The Sun can reveal. George, six, and Charlotte, four, will walk with their parents William and Kate to church on Christmas Day. It will be the first time the Cambridges will do the famous walk from Sandringham House, where the Queen hosts Christmas, to St Mary Magdalene Church with the rest of the family.
A royal source said: “It will be so sweet. George and Charlotte will make their Christmas debut, as long as they’re both on good form on the day. It’s the picture all royal fans want to see. The royals walking to church on Christmas Day is a rite of passage and so William and Kate didn’t want to expose their children too early, but they feel they’re old enough now. After all the negative focus on Prince Andrew, these pictures will also emphasise the positive future of the Royal Family. Ultimately it’s the Queen who decides who does what on Christmas Day as it is a formal engagement. So perhaps she is conscious that this is a positive way in which to change the narrative.”
The Sun understands that Prince Andrew will also go to church along with the rest of the family but it’s likely he’ll go in the car with the Queen instead of walking from the ‘Big House’. William and Kate will leave Louis at home with Kate‘s parents while they go to church as at 18 months he’s still too young.
“…It’s likely he’ll go in the car with the Queen instead of walking…” Sure, because that’s not terrible optics too, for the Queen to once again be used as a human shield protecting her son who raped a teenage girl trafficked to him by Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile and predator, and Ghislaine Maxwell, the head of a human trafficking organization. But I’m sure Charlotte and George will be cute. Cute little human shields for Andrew too. Incidentally, this isn’t actually the first time Charlotte and George have done a “church walk.” For Christmas 2016, William, Kate and the kids spent the holiday in Bucklebury with her parents, and they did a Bucklebury “church walk” with the kids. At the time, we were like “so, William and Kate are basically announcing that they have a separate ‘court’ right?” That’s what the photos looked like – a rival royal court doing their own Christmas Day church walk. How quickly some things change.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Backgrid.
I do appreciate how the article just admits this is to distract from Andrew and provide some positive PR.
I am surprised Charlotte is going – 4 seems young – but I guess if George is going, then they’ll bring Charlotte too.
William and Harry went at around the same age – William was 5, harry was 4 – so young, but not unheard of. Sophie and Edward’s son James didn’t go until he was eight years old, so it really depends on the kid. Charlotte seems to be more outgoing though, and seems to handle the crowds better than George, so not surprised she’d be going a little bit earlier. (I feel like they would’ve brought the kids this year regardless of the Andrew situation, though – they’re just getting to that age where they’re ready to go)
See, I cant imagine Charlotte sitting quietly through a church service with the Queen! But of course I don’t know her, lol.
I said below though – even if this was going to be the year they started anyway, at this point it just looks like PR to distract from Andrew. But maybe the royal family just means to keep on keeping on, and not change any plans regardless of Andrew.
My daughter could sit quietly in church at the age of three. Of course she went very week.
“A royal source said: “It will be so sweet. George and Charlotte will make their Christmas debut, as long as they’re both on good form on the day.”
There is their “out”, if needed/wanted: “…as long as they’re both on good form on the day.”
Think W or K might use it? Like ‘not having childcare’ the night of the Tusk event? Kids could “have a cold”?
It’s a 20 minute service, the main one being private and earlier in the morning, both older kids should be okay to sit for that one. They’ve attended full- length ones with the Middletons. The walk is the more concerning I assume, because otherwise there’s no excuse for them not to have gone yet.
Is it really only 20 minutes? That seems like a lot of effort for that short a service lol.
Using young children to shield a predator is repulsive.
And perfectly in keeping with this horrid family’s MO.
Do you know how mad I would be if someone suggested that to me?! Absolutely not. I don’t care if you are the Queen and I am the future future Queen. Under no circumstances would I want my children around him or involved in any of the nonsense.
I think the difference is the Queen finances their lifestyle so they pretty much have to play along. Good thing the Sussexes are the spares, they have a higher chance to excuse themselves and escape even though they’re also funded by her. But they’re still not gonna release a statement to denounce Pedo Prince. None of them will do that.
I agree completely. Don’t pretend you are raising those kids in a normal way if you use them as cover for a pedo uncle.
I am so glad the Sussexes can enjoy a relaxing Christmas
It’s sad that these children are going to be human shields for pedo Andy, and sad that their parents are allowing that to happen. This doesn’t fit the narrative of Kate being the consummate Mummy above all else, or normal Bill and Cathy either. Normal Bill and Cathy would find some way to not make this happen, so would consummate Mummy.
With the current atmosphere it’s wrong to have George and Charlotte do the church walk, which is now officially the Walk of Shame. Those kids are out in the open while Andy is in the queen’s reinforced car. Beatrice and Eugenie will be expected to show up along with their partners especially Edo. If Edo is a no show people will think he is getting cold feet.
Edo is NOT spending Christmas at Sandringham. It was put out a while ago he will be with HIS family, and she with hers.
Harry did his Sandringham walk debut at 4 so this isn’t that strange.
I don’t expect Queen to exile Andrew- as some say she probably believes he is innocent. He’s lucky as he won’t be made to answer any of Virginia’s claims but least he could do is just lay low even at family events. Even non royal watchers are dragging him& it won’t be forgotten that soon.
It’s extremely strange given the context of this year’s walk.
Why would anyone want their children’s names to share a byline with Andrew
They don’t expect the kids to share a byline with Pedo Prince. I think they really do believe trotting out the kiddos will wipe away any mention of him, it will be all about the first walk and sadly, infuriatingly it may work.
it will be the perfect distraction and IMO they were told to do it and are falling in line…
Harry and William weren’t trotted out to cover for Andy’s crimes and that’s the difference.
If Andrew’s mother permits his presence, shame on her, but no one should be changing their plans because he will be there. That gives him power he does not deserve.
Since the Andy story came out well before this decision to have the kids walk, it will always look like they are providing a shield to Andy. No law or custom mandates the kids to walk at this age and in fact the last kid to do it was closer to 10.
I hope not. To use children in such a way and taint that ‘royal milestone’ to distract from that scumbag relation would be despicable.
Also it’ll mean that every time the public senses trouble and they bust out the kids, we will believe we were correct.
Because if you’d use children to distract from this, you’d use them to shield you from negative press related to your marriage…smh
Keep calm and use your children for good pr.
I really hate that the kids are being used in such a way. if nothing else about this whole situation, this is something I’d have to put my foot down about. Protect the Pedo Prince whoever you want but leave my kid out of it.
I think this might a compromise.
Btw we’ll have to wait until Christmas to see if he goes to church with the rest of the family.
He is riding in the car to church with Mummy, his human shield.
What WILL be interesting is if he walks OUT of church WITH her, or drives by the family waiting outside while IN THE CAR with her, too.
If Andrew rides with Queen, I guess Phillip is either not attending or he will be walking or riding in separate car — unless all 3 ride in same car. If Phillip attends, but walks Or rides in separate car while Andrew rides with Queen — I think that would be an especially stupid PR blunder. I imagine Phillip will simply no show.
If they want to take the kids along then they should leave it to next year but the Cambridges have opened that door now – they’ve been using their kids as shields for themselves for the past year now so it was inevitable that they’d end up being used as props for the rest of the family.
Remember when William said he was resentful about being used for cover by his parents during their divorce? He’s doing even worse to his own kids. Deflecting for your pedo uncle is gross and it’s not normal so we can retire that normal parent canard because this ain’t it.
Exactly Nic919 but l actually think they are using their children more as a way of boosting their flagging popularity in the face of the much more dynamic Sussexes, who are without a doubt the royals everyone wants to see and read about. The sixth in line to the throne and his wife are not meant to be getting more headlines and his wife should not be getting equal and often more coverage on the pages of Hello.
William, on the advice of his team, has probably been told to use the children to try to get the headlines. Poor William and Kate have very little to say and are rather awkward in public, and only seem to be able to make themselves more interesting by sharing anecdotes about their kids.
Well with no Meghan to throw under the bus to deflect from the pedo in their midst, using young children as human shields is the next best thing for this family of tone deaf twits. Nothing seems to be too low if it means protecting the Queen’s favourite child. It’s sickening.
Exactly.
I said weeks ago when Meghan and Harry announced their plans that the Cambridge children were going to be doing the walk this year because the UK press need some kind of money shot, since M&H aren’t there, and the Cambridges want the continued glowing press they receive.
I guess what I’m saying is it may not just be about cover for Andrew if 4/5 years is around normal age for the kids to do the Christmas walk. I get the sense they are just trying to plough ahead with ‘business as normal’. But as above if they was any smarts, Andrew would be MIA.
However just seen pics of Andrew arriving at some BP party, William with George and Kate in a separate car.
I get that line of thought – except that George hasn’t “walked” yet and he’s 6, so having Charlotte start now would make sense to me if George had started a year or two ago, but he didnt, you know?
But, the reason I think they should keep the kids home is because even if it WAS the plan for them to join the family this year (and it always may have been), it looks like its just PR to deflect from Andrew at this point.
George has a harder time with crowds than his sister. I think they waited because they always planned to have the kids do it together. He was awfully intimidated by the crowd at Charlotte’s christening. Charlotte doesn’t mind as much and is more out going. So, it could help George to have her there. He could have walked with the Philip’s girls in years past, but the Cambridge/ Sussex feud made that somewhat impossible. It would have been hard for the Cambridges to walk with the Philips and try to put down Sussex feud rumors at the same time. This walk has gotten far too dramatic over the years lol.
Well, we have def seen George at events with crowds since Charlotte’s christening, which was in 2015 when George was newly 2 (or not even 2 yet.)
But I do agree that this walk has gotten too dramatic and everyone reads so much into it. I wonder how much thought the royals put into it, lol.
ETA but again, since George hasn’t “walked” yet , it seems that it would have been easy enough to have waited another year for him and Charlotte to do it, rather than have it look like they are trying to distract from the rapist in the family.
So they are taking George out of school for a party? Then why not attend an engagement if they can take him out of school for a BP staff party.
The BP staff party was a few days ago–different from this pre-Christmas lunch where most of the family gather.
A *family* Christmas party (which is what this event was) is an entirely different animal to a public engagement. George has quite obviously been overwhelmed by crowds in the past, I don’t blame them for not taking him to more engagements. I have problems with a lot of what they do, but allowing their young children to stay mostly out of the limelight until they’re at an age and a mental place where they can handle it is not one of those things.
Considering all the reports over the years about how awful and rude Andrew is to palace staff, I’m always amazed that he bothers to attend. The staff must just love celebrating with someone who is known to behave badly toward them most of the time.
Well, it’s also the start of William and Kate no longer needing to walk alongside Harry and Meghan. They’ll be split off with their kids.
Andrew should enter the church through a private entrance or something. They are trippin putting him on display.
I was just having the same thoughts. I’m glad there will be no more “Fab Four” 𝐂hristmas walks. The couples will be split from now on.
Why doesn’t Andrew just stay home? Not like he’s that religious!
George appears to be attending the queen’s luncheon today. He was seen with William (sitting in the front seat…isn’t that a no no for a child his age?) while Kate came in a separate car. The separate car thing seems weird to me. And did the Wessex children attend the luncheon at age 6? What’s funny to me is that they/their minders can’t see how obvious this “push the kids out to distract” effort is. Whether it’s from Andrew or their own marital issues or the headlines from the shoulder snatch incident, it’s so heavy-handed and obvious.
I think George and Charlotte went last year? I could be wrong though. I get the impression that they go, make an appearance, and then are whisked away by the nanny.
The separate cars thing is super weird though. Even if Kate has somewhere to be directly after or something, I feel like there could be an easy way around the separate arrivals, especially after the whole “brushing him off” thing.
The front seat thing was bit odd to me as well, but yes, all the children in the family have attended this young – Maud Windsor was only a few months old when her parents brought her for the first time. Peter and Autumn have always brought their girls, and Zara if she’s around (she’s frequently in Australia at Christmastime). It’s the big lunch for all the extended family, so the children always come along.
Definitely not recommended here in NA because of the risk of injury from the air bag (even if the kid is in a booster). But have to make sure the two future heirs are front and centre for the photos…
They use the kids for good PR. What a surprise!
I’m so glad the Sussexes aren’t there. Can you imagine Meghan having to go through that luncheon with that molester uncle lurking around. Especially when, you know, Andrew’s racist self has probably treated her worse than the rest.
I am more an more sure that Harry is going to abdicate his spot in the line of succession. Something just feels weird about this. His grandmother is in her mid 90s and Philip is in whatever state that he’s in. It’s just obvious that these shenanigans aren’t important to him anymore. Just his son and his family.
I was thinking this too. This total absence and radio silence beyond a few Instagram posts seems a bit off. I wonder if they were advised to completely withdraw during the Christmas season to allow more focus on the other Royals, especially the Cambridge’s, avoid being tagged to Andrew, which some RRs tried, not be around during election, Sandringham walk, Queens speech, because the press tend to make it all about them and that they’re interfering or upstaging. It’s nice they are spending time with Meghan’s mom in the US, but think it was some sort of deal with the a palace beyond just taking a mental health sabbatical. Anyway, hope to see more of them in 2020, see what they can do now that no more breaks coming up, and hope they win their lawsuit.
They need the positive press and are using the kids. It’s pretty sick.
Also, I think the arrival of Meghan is the main thing that has kept the “rival court” from happening. Can’t walk in Buckleberry when all eyes will be on the new sister in law.
Of course they will. I wouldn’t be surprised if the sex offender carried Louis to church. It’s all about making Andrew look good and pretend that they don’t care that the Sussexes have a higher moral code (and weaker stomachs).
Lol pics of andrew already with the family is out.
I’m so glad harry and Meghan are away from this freak show.
I get what you are saying that their debuts could have been postponed. I don’t think Andrew should be near these events let alone visible as his presence is toxic. If they avoid him, shows everyone that even those in family think he’s guilty af so suspect that’s reason for his visibility. It’s dumb but they constantly show how tone deaf they are.
The kids are at the party. Louis has grown so much and looks cute.
I agree. I think Andrew appearing at these events sends a clear message that — for the Queen especially — even though she was forced to have him withdraw as an official representative for the Crown, that her action was not about did he or didn’t he with Epstein but about appeasing the public. I think ANY good PR firm would be encouraging them to have Andrew lie low during family events like this for the rest of the year at least. Every time he appears, the diaglog is going to refocus on him though — or on family’s perceived attempts of trying to deflect from him — so I say let him be stupid enough to appear as it just puts continuous focus on his issues re Epstein and those are not going to go away.
Exactly as you say–Andrew stepping back is only about appeasing the public, in particular the charities and other entities that did not want to be associated with him any further, after the major blowback from the self-inflicted wound that was the Newsnight interview.
It is not a statement that the BRF repudiates Andrew. At all.
The Epstein scandal and incriminating picture of Andrew with Virginia Roberts and Ghislaine Maxwell have been out there for YEARS. Still all those years Andrew did his thing, went to royal events, went to royal weddings, up to the Festival of Remembrance last month.
I don’t buy that the Cambridges are somehow complicit for doing the Christmas church walk with their older kids. If they are complicit, then every BRF member failing to avoid any future event with Andrew present is complicit too. Do people really believe that the Sussexes are not going to appear anywhere with Andrew ever again?
Funny how the press think Harry is so dim when in fact he may be the smartest in that ridiculous family. Getting away from all of this holiday drama is the best thing.
Morning thought: Maybe Catherine’s shoulder flick and separate cars may be outward signs that she is pissed off at The Firm and William making her bring George and Charlotte for the Christmas walk with Andrew. I know us Celebitchers can agree she is a momma bear and first instinct is to protect her children. I think she was pressured into doing it—and bet if Andrew gets near any of those kid publicly, there will be hell to pay for. (We won’t see it, or maybe more acting out by Catherine.)
The stuff about Andrew and what he was up with regards to Epstein was known for YEARS way before the Newsnight interview! It’s weird to me when it’s spun like this was brand new revelations from the Newsnight interview last month. The whole ‘the Cambridges better not let Andrew near those kids publicly!’ is bizarre to me. He’ll probably be up on the Trooping the Colour balcony next June. Should the parents of kids (Cambridges, and maybe Archie too) boycott and not allow their royal spawn on the balcony? We know they will not.
Part of being in the BRF is being around Andrew on occasion, even now. Yes, that is gross in my opinion. But it’s a so-called family firm and that’s the way Her Maj wants it, and everyone will fall in line, if they want to retain their place in the BRF that is.
I don’t buy that she “has” to do it. Closer to the date she could just say that they have colds and she doesn’t want them out in the cold air. Maybe she and Normal Bill will still do that. It would piss off the viper courtiers but eff ‘em .
The Newsnight interview made Andy’s disgusting behaviour impossible to ignore and showed he was unrepentant, which is why it is the turning point for a lot of these issues. This is not the year to bring both George and Charlotte out and pretend everything is perfect. They could easily wait until next year. Right now it looks like they want good PR and they can’t remove that association because of the close timing of the Pedo Andy interview.
It’s not like William didn’t set up his own walk a few years ago at Buckleberry, so why can’t they do it this year?
Pedo Andy has NO morals…he’s got a cheek going to church never mind with th rest of th family..he is tainting them …the British public put up with a lot of things where the Royal family are concerned but this is beyond the pale.
The more I learn of this family the less I like them
Cant say I’m suprised🙄
Boy the Sussexs were so clever to avoid this toxic family. Cant believe they’re using the kids to cover for pedo Andy! Can you imagine what they’ll think years from now (when hes probably sued by victims and they win)🤦♀️
The BRF is becoming like a real life Pantomime…the good prince and princess banished from th kingdom because of the jealous vain brother…the evil uncle plotting and scheming in th background to keep his power…..the old queen losing touch with reality….the old ‘king’ hidden in a tower in th castle his power waning…beatrice is cinderella who cant go to the ball…Fergie already has the pantomime dame look down to a tee…shes a shoe in.. Unfortunately th only prince charming on th scene is Charles…he’s a bit old to play the leading man but hes been waiting in the wings long enough..and he’s all they’ve got….boo hiss…
Love this twisted fairy tale!
There really is no reason to have those kids out there, except as a propaganda stunt. I wouldn’t be surprised if at least half of the couple was not onboard with this stunt ( shrug). It seems off with Andrew creeping around trying to pretend anyone but his aged mother gives a damn about his worthless self. Sure it will be a non-event in the end, people get so sentimental about those kids, and everyone will go about their lives.
So the irony is that Beatrice apparently had her engagement party& Andrew didn’t attend because “it wouldn’t be a good look”! So somebody is aware he’s toxic.