Prince William’s sweet reaction to cousin Zara’s It-Girl Christmas Day outfit

The annual Christmas walkabout at Sandringham has served up so many iconic royal moments over the years.

From Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice’s adorable matching outfits to Prince Louis’ antics with his royal siblings, the public appearance each year is steeped in royal tradition.

One fabulous moment back in 2004 saw Prince William caught in a wonderful moment with his cousin Zara Tindall who, at the time, was 23 and serving up some serious Christmas fashion for the annual church service at St Mary’s.

Photos of the royal cousins leaving the church showed William, then 22, pointing at the equestrian’s stylish leather fedora, which she paired with a glamorous white coat adorned with a striking fur collar and cuffs.

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It wasn’t just the hat that made William smile; he also couldn’t resist playing with Zara’s fur-lined sleeve. The striking coat was also adorned with lace-like embroidery down the front, which was perfectly paired with leather knee-high boots.

Completing her It-Girl ensemble, Zara carried a tiny black micro-handbag, a trend that has since resurfaced and gone viral on social media. She also slipped on a pair of brown suede gloves decorated with white lining.

© Tim Graham Photo Library via Get

The following day, for the Boxing Day service, Zara stayed loyal to her unofficial uniform colours of white and brown and rocked a cosy brown coat, this time with a cream baker boy-style hat and chestnut brown boots with white fur.

This time it was her brother Peter Phillips who sought delight in her winter-coded ensemble and was pictured beaming at her furry boots whilst stepping out of the church along with their cousin Prince Harry.

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The muted colour palette appeared to be a festive theme throughout her 20s for the Christmas period.

The year before, she slipped on a gorgeous fitted off-white coat, which she paired with a brown baker boy hat and another fabulous microbag. Of course, the fashionista added a pair of her signature brown knee-high boots.

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As for Christmas 2024, the King and Queen will be hosting 45 of their royal family members at Sandringham this year.

The Tindall clan, as well as the Waleses, are expected to join the celebrations with the Monarch, as they did last year.

Talking about how he’s feeling ahead of the big day, William said on Tuesday: “Am I ready for Christmas? No, no way am I ready.” He told a family in Wiltshire on Tuesday, whilst handing out gifts at a festive party for the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment.

He added that he was looking forward to spending the big day with 45 members of his family “all in one room” but said they are “normally spread out.”