Prince Harry and fiancee smiled and chatted as they walked alongside William and Kate at Queen’s Sandringham estate

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Meghan Markle joined the royal family for their traditional Christmas Day service at the Queen’s Sandringham estate.

Markle walked arm-in-arm with her fiance, Prince Harry, as they made the short journey from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene church. She seemed at ease as they smiled and chatted as they walked alongside William and Kate, who is pregnant with her third child.

The Queen arrived in a car and joined the group, which also included the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales.

Hundreds of well-wishers turned out to catch a glimpse of the royal family, with some calling out “merry Christmas” as they walked past.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Queen and Prince Philip on Monday. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

As they made the return journey to Sandringham House after the service was over, Markle and Harry stopped to chat to some of the crowd who turned out in mild conditions. Among them was Judith Wallis, who was sitting in a wheelchair and is staying at the neighbouring Park House Hotel on her first Christmas Day visit to Sandringham.

She said Harry recognised her teddy bear called Maureen, which is a mascot for the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, and her hat that bore the Gurkha regiment emblem. She said Markle spoke to them, too.

“She said lots of things,” said Wallis, who is in her 70s and from Chesterfield. “She was very, very lovely.”

Tess Gilder, the manager of Park House, which describes itself as a unique hotel for disabled people, was with Wallis. She said of Markle: “She was just so natural, so lovely. I think they just wished us a happy Christmas and were interested in whether we had been before.”

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Meghan Markle attends Christmas Day church service. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Emily Randall, 31, was first in the queue to get into the area by the church with her boyfriend, Jamie Mackay, 42. She said they set out from Chichester in Sussex before 10pm on Christmas Eve and arrived at Sandringham at about 2am.

“We thought it would be really busy,” she said. “We looked online. We were the first ones here camping in the dark for two hours.”

She said they had missed the Queen when she visited Chichester, so decided to make the trip to Sandringham.

Back at Sandringham House, the royal family traditionally indulge in turkey, reared at Sandringham, before settling down to watch TV including the Queen’s Christmas speech.