The King and the rest of the Royal Family were out in force on December 25 to attend the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk.

Royal fans turned out to show their appreciation for the Firm, which has suffered a “brutal” year following the cancer diagnoses of King Charles and Princess Kate, as confessed by Prince William in November.

One royal supporter, Karen MacLean, a cancer patient herself, shared an embrace with Kate after the Sandringham service.

MacLean, who has suffered “20 years of cancer”, revealed that she met the King too as the royals carried out their traditional walkabout after the service finished – but it wasn’t for the first time.

Karen said: “We just had a little talk about cancer, really. I’ve met the King before. He said to me ‘I can remember you’, I’m thinking ‘what!’, like many years ago?”.

She added that Charles and Kate seemed “very well actually, considering what they’re going through”. She said it was “a privilege” to be in Kate’s company

She told The Sun: “We were talking about our illnesses, because we’re both cancer victims, when she reached out and hugged me. It was really unexpected and such a joy… I gave her a tight squeeze back. It was such a surreal moment.

“You get a camaraderie with other cancer victims. Unless you’ve been on that journey, you can’t understand what it’s like. They’ve not had the best of years, so it’s nice to see them all back out together and united.”

Kate, Prince William, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis wore blue and green complementing outfits in Norfolk.

During the short walk between Sandringham House, where the royals had lunch on Christmas Day, and the church, William led Charlotte by the hand, while Kate, who wore a green Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen coat and hat, held hands with Louis. George, now 11, walked out alone.

Body language expert Judi James said this indicated his growing independence. She told the Mirror: “George is still mirroring his dad but also increasingly taking the lead without looking to William for approval signals, suggesting he is acting on his own initiative.

“The shyness signals have gone, and he now has a tendency to walk ahead when it comes to meeting and greeting.”