A heartwarming moment of royal family bonding has captured the public's imagination this festive season. During the traditional Christmas Day church service at Sandringham, Princess Charlotte, the ten-year-old daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales, shared a particularly close and affectionate moment with her cousin, Mia Tindall, aged eleven.
A Sweet Fashionable Exchange
Royal fans were delighted by a short video, shared by a fan account, which showed the two young cousins excitedly comparing their outfits after the service in Norfolk. The clip revealed a genuine, easy camaraderie between them. At one point, Charlotte appeared to ask Mia to inspect her new Tory Burch brown ballet flats, which retail for £310 and are believed to have been a Christmas gift. Mia, in turn, seemed to compliment the shoes, suggesting they matched Charlotte's custom Catherine Walker coat perfectly.
The fashion discussion continued as Mia gestured towards the cuffs of her own stylish grey houndstooth coat from Max & Co. Her mother, Zara Tindall, an ambassador for Fairfax & Favor, paired a similar coat with suede ankle boots from the luxury brand. Meanwhile, Mia's younger sister, seven-year-old Lena, was also part of the group, wearing a special item that delighted observant royal watchers.
The Royal Tradition of Hand-Me-Downs
Lena Tindall was spotted in a navy, military-inspired coat from Monsoon that has a charming history within the family. The coat was first worn by her cousin, Savannah Phillips (now 14), at Sandringham on Christmas Day in 2017. It was then passed to Mia, who wore it to the late Prince Philip's Service of Thanksgiving at Westminster Abbey in 2022. This year, it was Lena's turn, showcasing the practical and sentimental royal tradition of passing clothes down.
Fans expressed their joy at this relatable family habit. One Instagram user commented, 'Nothing better than a good hand me down. Two of my four daughters wore a similar coat when they were young!' This display of normalcy amidst the grandeur of a royal Christmas resonated widely.
A Close-Knit Cousinhood
The easy friendship between the children of Prince William and Zara Tindall has been a noted highlight of recent royal gatherings. Prince William himself has spoken about how special it is to see them together. In an interview with People four years ago, he said, 'When I see my children meet up with my cousin's children, and they all have a wonderful time playing together, it's very special. I look forward to that a lot.'
Mia's father, former rugby star Mike Tindall, echoed this sentiment, noting that their families have grown 'quite intertwined' due to the children's similar ages. He emphasised the importance of this bond, stating, 'Our kids are very, very close, which is great for the kids that they’re always going to have some cousins... who are going to be the same age and can grow up with them.'
This year's fashion chat wasn't the first time Charlotte's thoughtful nature towards Mia has been noticed. During a walkabout, a video showed Charlotte whispering to Mia, who then stepped forward to accept a bouquet of flowers from a well-wisher after Charlotte was offered it—a gesture of inclusion that was praised millions of times online. Mia also shares a sweet connection with the youngest Wales sibling, having been seen walking hand-in-hand with Prince Louis during last year's Christmas service.
The Sandringham festivities, led by King Charles and Queen Camilla, also included appearances from Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, Prince Edward and the Duchess of Edinburgh with their children, and Princess Anne. However, it was the genuine, affectionate interactions of the younger generation, particularly between Princess Charlotte and her cousin Mia, that provided some of the most endearing and talked-about moments of the day.
