This Christmas has marked a milestone moment for King Charles and Queen Camilla. Their Majesties were joined by some very special guests - Queen Camilla's children and grandchildren.
Although they were not seen during the annual walkabout in Sandringham, Queen Camilla's son Tom Parker Bowles and daughter Laura Lopes - from her marriage to ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles - attended the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
HELLO! understands that the Queen's family made a private arrival.
Food critic Tom, who turned 50 last week, and his sister Laura, 46, are very close with their mother, and often praise her.
Queen Camilla's Christmas request
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Tom revealed that his mother, 77, personally requested their presence at the royal gathering this year. "My mum said, 'I'd love you to come, I haven’t had Christmas with you for a long time,'" Tom shared, offering a rare glimpse into their family dynamics.
Tom shares two teenage children, Lola, 17, and Frederick, 13, with his ex-wife, former fashion editor Sara Buys.
Reflecting on his usual festive holiday routine, he added: "For the past 15 years, it has been: I go back to my ex-wife's house, sit in my tracksuit bottoms, go to the pub while the beef's in, then try to get my children to watch The Wild Geese. Classic. So this would be a bit different."
Of what to expect from the day with the royal family, Tom went on to say: "I know there's turkey and sprouts and church. And I have to bring a suit and a dinner jacket."
The invitation to spend Christmas at Sandringham has always been extended to Tom, but this year, his mother was especially eager for him to accept.
"It has been a hell of a two years for them," Tom said, referring to King Charles' cancer diagnosis and treatment as well as Queen Camilla's recent battle with pneumonia. "The older you get, the more conscious you become of mortality, especially with illnesses and the rest of it."
All you need to know about the Queen's daughter Laura
Art has been a life-long passion for Laura. After managing the Space Gallery in London, she co-founded Eleven, a fine art gallery in Belgravia in 2005.
She married chartered accountant Harry Lopes in Wiltshire in 2006 in front of friends and family including Prince William, Prince Harry, and her mother, Camilla.
The couple share three children together, daughter Eliza, 16, and twin sons, Gus and Louis, 15.
About Queen Camilla's son Tom
The Queen's eldest child works as a food writer and has written seven cookbooks, with restaurant reviews in the likes of GQ, Esquire and The Mail on Sunday. He has two children from his marriage to ex-wife Sara.
During a recent chat with HELLO!, Tom touched upon his relationship with his stepdad Charles, describing the monarch as "the kindest, most knowledgeable, lovely man".
The dad-of-two added: "He is someone you can ask about food and it's like asking an academic. He's trodden every corner of his kingdom; he knows farming – he's a farming hero."
Of the King and Queen as a team, he observed: "They're very well suited. They work well together, and we're happy that our mother's happy."