On Christmas Day, the Princess of Wales looked like she was feeding on the attention she got by being center stage on the church walk. Kate apparently lingered with the crowd, shaking hands and taking photos and accepting gifts. Prince William left her behind, taking the kids ahead and waiting a distance away. Kate was the last royal left on the “walkabout.” I’m of two minds about that – one, it’s telling that William and the kids weren’t also greeting people at the same time and the visual of William and the kids leaving her behind is pretty interesting. On the other side, it’s a sort of royal fan-service and more people in that family should chat longer with their fans. And the people who come out to see the Windsors on Christmas Day really are the biggest die-hard royalists out there. People Magazine had an exclusive with comments from some of the people who met Kate:

Her presence on Christmas Day, alongside Prince William and their children — Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6 — was both comforting and uplifting as she warmly interacted with well-wishers, receiving hugs, handshakes and heartfelt Christmas wishes. Kate’s connection with the public was palpable, as she engaged with each person. There was a clear sense of joy and relief in her demeanor — her face lighting up as she smiled and chatted with the crowd.

“I think I’ve lost my family!” she quipped at one point to the crowd as she realized that she was the last royal family member left on the walkabout. William and their children were several yards away, waiting for Kate to finish so they could return to Sandringham for their Christmas lunch. It was a moment that harkened back to Kate’s signature style — always happy to linger with the people who come out to see her, even when it means she’s the last to leave.

One of the many who benefitted from Kate’s personal touch on Christmas was Louis Beauchamp, a teacher from Paris who had traveled to Sandringham specifically to see Kate. Beauchamp had met Kate for the first time in May 2023 ahead of the King’s coronation, when she and Prince William visited a pub for a walkabout.

“I had an unforgettable interaction with Catherine,” Beauchamp tells PEOPLE. “She told me she was trying to get her kids to speak more French and urged me to keep up the hard work with my students. Unfortunately, when she announced she was suffering from cancer, I knew we would not be seeing her in public for a very long time,” he continues. “Sandringham was the best opportunity for me. So, I booked a trip and went there to show I was still there to support her and always will.”

Beauchamp, who teaches English in France and has been inspired by the princess’s Early Years work, had a special gift for Kate — a scarf he had made for in Morocco, along with a heartfelt letter about the “positive impact she has had on my life over the years,” he says. When he handed it to her, Kate thanked him for his kindness.

“She thanked me very much and said it was wonderful and so kind of me to have come again,” he shares. “She was as genuine and close to people as I remembered. She seemed so happy to be with us again. You could tell she was truly touched.”

Another well-wisher, 73-year-old Karen Maclean, who has endured cancer for over 20 years, shared a heartfelt exchange with both Kate and King Charles.

“We just had a little talk about cancer,” she told Sky News, noting the warm connection she shared with the Princess of Wales. Kate gave Maclean a hug as she learned the woman had traveled all the way from North Lincolnshire for the occasion. She noted that both Kate and King Charles, who was also diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, appeared “very well actually, considering what they’re going through.” As for her embrace from the princess, she added, “What a privilege.”

[From People]

I honestly can’t imagine doing this much to see any royal. It’s very much a dedicated fanbase, like Taylor Swift’s Swifties or Beyonce’s Beyhive. Kate is their “queen” and they’ll book their trip from France to Norfolk on Christmas Day just for a glimpse of Kate. Anyway, Kate’s appearance and demeanor in Sandringham this year sort of made me believe that the Windsors are actively benching her, as opposed to “Kate doesn’t WANT to do anything, so she isn’t.” Kate probably wanted to go to those tiara-events but she was told to stay home. She was probably also told she could only go to Wimbledon for one day. And Buckingham Palace probably didn’t know anything about that fakakta “cancer-free” video before it dropped.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.