The week's best royal photos
Plus a lookback to this time last year and a look ahead to next week's diary in The Royal Dispatch
Hello Royal Clubbers, it’s Ainhoa here.
It’s been another festive week for the royals, with the King hosting his pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace for extended members of his family.
But before we dive into the best royal pictures of the week, it’s time to head back in time…
This time last year…
King Charles waved to well-wishers after leaving the fourth Sunday of Advent service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate last year.
The monarch once again hosted his special Christmas lunch for members of the royal family at Buckingham Palace. Here, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Christopher Woolf Mapelli Mozzi and Princess Beatrice are pictured arriving for the celebration.
If you read The Royal Dispatch two weeks ago, you’ll have known that Duchess Sophie is patron of the Lighthouse, a charity which uses creative projects to support those in need. Last year, she helped volunteers to serve this tasty-looking food and talked to beneficiaries of the charity.
Princess Sofia and Prince Carl Philip of Sweden took a pew as they attended the ‘Christmas In Vasastan’ concert at Gustaf Vasa Church in Stockholm.
Further reading
Andrew has perfected the art of legal foot-dragging
What really happened when William met Eugene Levy
Best Royal Pictures of The Week
British royals
William and Catherine were among the royal family guests who attended King Charles’ pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Catherine looked particularly festive in her Alessandra Rich printed dress, which she memorably wore during filming with Mary Berry for A Berry Royal Christmas.
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were also invited to the party. We love Eugenie’s candy cane earrings!
The Duchess of Edinburgh looked festive in green with her hair styled in tight curls.
Later in the week, Sophie got into the Christmas spirit again during an engagement with Disability Initiative, of which she is a patron.
King Charles
The King pulled a pint of Guinness and sampled his beverage as he opened the Guinness Open Gate Brewery London.
The Duke of Sussex
Meanwhile, across the pond, Prince Harry was spotted skiing in Aspen, Colorado with close friend and polo player, Nacho Figueras. A source told HELLO!: “Prince Harry was with Nacho for about four hours on the mountains. The pair spent the day skiing and enjoyed lunch together at one of the restaurants at the resort. Harry seemed happy and was also joined by a number of male friends on the slopes.”
The Duke was in Aspen to take part in the World Snow Polo Championships.
Belgian royals
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium were joined by two of their four children, Princess Elisabeth and Princess Eléonore, for their yearly Christmas concert at the Royal Palace in Brussels. The family coordinated in glitzy sequins and sparkles.
Queen Mary of Denmark
Denmark’s queen looked fabulously festive in a velvet suit as she stepped out for the Into Change Award at the Copenhagen Opera House. The award is a new European research prize honouring the collaborations that drive scientific breakthroughs and benefit society.
Queen Silvia of Sweden
Queen Silvia of Sweden travelled to Germany this week for a special honour. She received the Bavarian State Medal for Social Services, which is awarded to people who have made special efforts in the social area of the Free State of Bavaria and its inhabitants.
Norwegian royals
Norway’s royal siblings took part in a rare joint engagement, visiting Sentrum Fire Station in Oslo. The future queen of Norway, 21, and her younger brother Sverre, 20, donned their kit, before learning about the efforts carried out by the fire and rescue service.
The following day, the whole family were out in force to visit the Langerudhjemmet nursing home in Oslo.
Monegasque royals
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene’s twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques, helped give out presents to local children during the Monaco Christmas Tree Ceremony at the palace.
Queen Letizia of Spain
Spanish queen Letizia, a former journalist, attended the ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of the Fundacion del Español Urgente “FundeuRAE”, held at the Royal Spanish Academy. The foundation, promoted by the Royal Spanish Academy and the EFE Agency, has become one of the main points of reference for Spanish-speaking journalists.
The Waleses
To round off the week, William and Catherine released their Christmas card, showing the family cuddling and smiling in a never-before-seen family photo taken by Josh Shinner back in April.
Next week’s royal diary
Understandably, the royals have closed their diaries for the festive break, but you can expect the King and Queen to lead the British royals to church on the Sandringham estate on Thursday 25 December. We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled to see who takes part in the walkabout this year!
Here’s what else to expect:
