The Christmas walk at Sandringham has always been symbolic for the royal family. The processional to St. Mary Magdalene Church highlights the monarch's role as the head of the Church of England. It also has been a moment for the family to signal unity and spotlight future leaders in the family.
TodayKing Charlesand Queen Camilla led the walk, followed by Princess Anne. William and Kate, the Prince andPrincess of Wales, and their children, Prince George,Princess Charlotteand Prince Louis, also attended.
Those family members were expected. But it was a surprise to see Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie join the march.
The show of unity comes just over a month since their father Andrew, formerly the Prince of York and now simply Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, wasstripped of his royal titlesdue to his associations with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Their mother, Sarah Ferguson, was also found to have closer ties to Epstein than previously known, according to recently released emails. Neither were seen at the festivities.
FollowingCharles' decisionto strip Andrew's of his "style, titles and honors," questions have swirled about what role Beatrice and Eugenie might have in the royal family. Bothretained their royal titles, but it was not clear if they would take on any royal duties.
Attending the Sandringham processional means they chose to forgo celebrations with their mother and father – and align themselves with the royal family. Eugenia and her husband, Jack Brooskbank, walked behind Princess Anne, who was accompanied by her husband Sir Timothy Laurence. That put the couple in a prominent position behind the king and queen. Beatrice, with her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, was seen at the back of the group. Neither couple brought their children. Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, and her husband Mike Tindall, the former rugby player, were also not far behind the King Charles.
Any Christmas appearance with the family would be a trial of sorts, saysAndrew Lownie, a historian and author of"Entitled: The Rise and Fall of The House of York,"Charles is testing the waters with them, giving them the odd job to see what public opinion is like if they are given royal duties."
The daughters' appearance does not necessarily mean they will be welcome as full working royals. Because Andrew and Sarah Ferguson's associations with Epstein raised serious financial questions, Lownie says a fuller audit of the princesses' business affairs may be necessary, "to make sure they were all in order and there was nothing that could prove embarrassing." If any "skeletons" were to emerge, he says, "we may see they are cut loose."
Queen Camilla, dressed in a bold red coat and a matching hat, waved to well-wishers. King Charles wore a brown coat and brown boots. Princess Eugenie wore a burgundy and brown plaid coat and a burgundy fascinator; Princess Eugenie also wore a plaid coat, but a smaller checked pattern, and with a burgundy pill box hat.
This will also mark the last holiday Andrew and Fergie will spend at the Royal Lodge, where he has been livingnearly rent freefor years. The Palace announce that he will instead take residence at a property on theSandringham estate. Andrew reportedly is fighting the move. "He's basically digging his heels in," Lownie says.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie make surprise royal family Christmas appearance
