Hello and seasons greetings to you all! On this festive morn the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined a procession of royals for the annual Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church. William and Kate were beaming as they made their way to church following what was undoubtedly a very exciting morning with Prince George, now two-and-a-half, excitedly opening his gifts and celebrating Princess Charlotte's first Christmas. It's a packed year at Sandringham with an estimated thirty royals enjoying the festivities at the Norfolk estate. Members in attendance include Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Harry, the Wessexes, the Yorks and the Princess Royal and her husband Timothy Lawrence. It offers a splendid opportunity for them all to unwind and enjoy some quality time together. There has been much speculation regarding William and Kate's plans for the day, but judging by the absence of the Middleton family at church this morning I think we can safely say reports the Cambridges are marking the day with the Royal family are correct. We had assumed last year's celebrations at Anmer Hall heralded the start of a new tradition, however, it seems William and Kate have chosen to alternate between both families as so many do. Some have suggested the Queen and Prince Philip's age may be a factor in the decision William holding the umbrella over Kate. Rebecca English elaborated further on festive plans including news Her Majesty has reportedly invited the Middletons for the annual Boxing Day shoot. The family are expected to stay at Anmer Hall for a few days. Rebecca English Twitter Feed The parish Church of St. Mary Magdalene is both picturesque and steeped in history, with memorials to many members and relations of the Royal family, from Queen Victoria onwards. It is considered one of the finest carrstone buildings in existence, and dates back in its present form to the 16th century. Sandringham Estate We last saw the Cambridges at the church for Princess Charlotte's christening in July. A lovely shot of William and Kate. After the forty-five minute service the royals chatted with locals. William and Kate exchanged Christmas wishes and chatted with well-wishers. Prince Harry meets locals. Embed from Getty Images The Queen looked regal in red. Embed from Getty Images Members of the royal family chatting outside the church. Embed from Getty Images Upon their return to Sandringham House it will be a change of clothes followed by a traditional Christmas lunch of Norfolk turkey with all the trimmings. At precisely 3 pm the family gathers round to watch the Queen's Christmas speech. In the afternoon, they reportedly often take in a stroll on the majestic estate. Tonight, the last ever episode of Downton Abbey airs, and William recently revealed "Downton is one of my and Catherine's favourite programmes". I expect they will be very eager to tune in. Tour Norfolk The Duchess wore a new coat by Sportsmax today (with thanks to Ashley for the speedy ID). The Long Belted Coat is made of green virgin wool - a very festive and appropriate colour for the day. At present, it is reduced from $1805 to $1231 at FarFetch. Farfetch A closer look. Farfetch Underneath Kate wore the very pretty Great Plains Cézanne dress. Kate wore the dress in "Winter Pink" for a 2013 visit to Grimsby. The brand is part of the French Connection family - another label the Duchess is fond of - and offers stylish clothing at affordable prices. Several readers noted Kate wore the dress in another colourway, 'Pine Needle', today. We see both versions of the dress in the graphic below. The Cezanne is described as "a printed tunic dress with a boat neck, short sleeves and a pleated skirt". It is 100% polyester and originally retailed for £75. It's a great dress and one I hope we see in its entirety in the future. Great Plains A look at Kate's rich green hat which was complemented by an elegant updo. Kate selected her Aquatalia Rhumba boots. Aquatalia Kate carried her Mulberry Bayswater clutch in black suede. Mulberry One of the talking points regarding Kate's look today has been a very striking brooch she wore. The eagle-eyed Anna noted Kate first wore the Acorn Brooch for the Diamond Jubilee Luncheon in 2012. It is believed the piece is a gift the Duchess may have been given for her wedding or perhaps from her parents. The Middleton family's coat of arms features three acorns representing their three children. They were chosen because the area in which the children were brought up, West Berkshire, England is surrounded by oak trees. Additionally, oak is a long-established symbol of both ‘England’ and ‘Strength’. Wikipedia Kate accessorised with her Kiki McDonough Classic Green Amethyst Diamond Earrings. Kiki McDonough It was a lovely ensemble for the Duchess, filled with beautiful pieces which made for a very seasonal look when worn together. You can watch a video at The Telegraph. The Queen's Christmas Speech is now available to view at YouTube. It begins with a selection of images featuring highlights of the year including Prince George's appearance at Trooping the Colour and Princess Charlotte's christening (you'll notice one of the christening portraits beside HM). Her Majesty references her upcoming 90th birthday celebrations, saying: "I look forward to a busy 2016 though I have been warned I may have 'Happy Birthday' sung to me more than once or twice". The Queen reflected on the pain those who have lost a loved one this year may be experiencing and referenced the darker events of the year, adding: "It is true the world has had to confront moments of darkness this year". The Queen concluded the speech with this hopeful message: 'There's and old saying that it it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. There are millions of people lighting candles of hope in our world today. Christmas is a good time to be thankful for them and all that brings light to our lives.' As we approach the end of the year it feels an appropriate time to say an enormous thank you to everyone who has visited and commented on the blog this year as well as welcoming new readers who have recently joined us. There's a fantastic community of intelligent, informative and witty posters here who have been involved in many great discussions and debates. I look forward to seeing that continue and to following Kate with you all in 2016! :) We'll be back with our Year in Review post as well as our end of year polls next. All that remains is to wish you and your loved ones a Very Merry Christmas!