The King, Queen, William and Kate attend the service on Christmas Day

The King and Queen have attended a Christmas Day service at Sandringham with the Prince and Princess of Wales and other royals by their side.

Tense crowds watched as the monarch and his family entered St Mary Magdalene Church, Norfolk. A woman who previously had ovarian cancer told the BBC she was able to wish the King and Catherine well after their own cancer diagnoses.

It was announced last week that Prince Andrew would not attend the annual gathering after an alleged Chinese spy was found to have links to the royals.

The service took place a few hours before the King’s Christmas message is to be sent – it is being delivered from a former hospital chapel.

The King, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales were joined by the Prince and Princess’ three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Also in the walking party were the Princess Royal, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their children Lady Louise Windsor and the Earl of Wessex.

The royals were met at the foot of the church steps by the Reverend Canon Dr. Paul Rhys Williams. Inside, the national anthem was sung before the first hymn, O Come, All Ye Faithful.

The Christmas morning service is a major event in the royal calendar, bringing the royal family together for a public appearance, with crowds and photographers capturing the moment.

Afterwards, the royals spend Christmas at their Sandringham estate, which has been the family’s usual seasonal gathering place since 1988.

Shelly, from Shrewsbury in Shropshire, said she had joined the crowds for the first time this year to support the King and Catherine.

Earlier this year, the couple announced their cancer diagnoses within weeks of each other – the king in February and the princess the following month.

“I spent Christmas on my own and I wanted to turn a negative into a positive and I really wanted to be here for Catherine and Charles because of the journey they’ve had,” Shelly told the BBC.

“She (Catherine) has had a really tough year and I just want to give my support”.

Also in the crowd was Diane from Oldham, who shook hands with the King, Prince William and Catherine and their youngest son Prince Louis.

She told the BBC it meant a lot to her, who survived ovarian cancer, to speak to the royals.

Diane said she was able to wish the King and Catherine good health in the new year and that she has written to Catherine on various occasions about cancer and received “lovely replies”.

“People don’t realize how it (cancer) affects you as a family, so I wanted to be here to see the whole family and see them celebrate Christmas.”

While Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York did not attend the service, their daughter Princess Beatrice – accompanied by her husband, property magnate Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and his son Christopher Woolf from a previous marriage – did.

Prince Andrew’s absence was confirmed after Yang Tengbo, also known as Chris Yang, was named as an alleged Chinese spy who had been banned from entering the UK.

The man, who is reported to have been part of an operation to get close to influential figures, was described by judges in the Special Immigration Appeals Commission court as having an “unusual degree of confidence” in the prince.

Prince Andrew’s office said nothing sensitive had ever been discussed with Mr. Yang.

The prince is rarely seen in public since apologizing for his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and no longer participates in frontline royal duties.

Later on Christmas Day, the monarch’s traditional speech will be broadcast as usual on TV and radio at 15:00 GMT.

That was it recorded earlier this month at Fitzrovia Chapel in central Londonand marks the first time in more than a decade that the Christmas message has been recorded from a location other than a royal palace or estate.

Fitzrovia was once the chapel of Middlesex Hospital.

The location suggests that health care and supportive community connections could be themes of the annual speech.

Kensington Palace released a video in September which showed Catherine announcing that she had completed his chemotherapy treatmentand promoted the message that “out of darkness can come light”.

She recently marked her biggest return to royal duties after completing chemotherapy at host a carol service at Westminster Abbey. The event was dedicated to individuals who have shown love, kindness and empathy towards their communities.

Meanwhile, the King’s regular treatment sessions continue, but as a sign of a positive response, he plans a busy schedule of engagements and overseas travel in 2025.