News | Entertainment
3 Dec 2025 20:10
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Prince William used to "get the giggles" during the royal family's annual Christmas church service

    The British royals traditionally spend the festive season at Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate and many well-wishers turn out on 25 December to watch the family walk to nearby St. Mary Magdalene Church, and the 39-year-old royal has fond memories of getting distracted during the sermon by his cousins when he was younger


    Explaining how the pews inside face one another, William said: "And what's very good about it is that we sit opposite each other as a family, and growing up, having my cousins sat opposite me has always been quite difficult to keep a straight face at times.

    "I have had the giggles many, many times in the service. Luckily, no one's filming it. So you can get away with it, and on Christmas Day, it's fun to have a giggle and enjoy yourself."

    William finds the walk from Sandringham House to the church "very soothing".

    Speaking on Apple Fitness+'s 'Time to Walk' series, William - whose walk took him through the Sandringham estate, past the church and eventually to Anmer, where he and wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have a home - said: "My family spend their Christmases in Norfolk at Sandringham, which is in the UK. Walking along here, you've got big pine trees that are quite synonymous with this part of Norfolk. And I love the smell of pine in the winter. It's very soothing.

    "As we're walking along here, it's been a walk that my family have done for many, many years on the way to church on Christmas Day. It must be at least 25 years by now."

    And the stroll reminds William of his late grandfather, Prince Philip, who died in April aged 99.

    He said: "I have strong memories of walking down here, and my grandfather, he used to walk so fast that there'd be huge gaps and spaces between all of us walking down, and there'd be us at the back with little legs trying to keep up.

    "You know, I think, over time, you start to feel quite attached to those moments and those memories before.”

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     03 Dec: Macaulay Culkin thinks his father deserves to "die alone"
     03 Dec: Benedict Cumberbatch needed surgery following a surfing injury
     03 Dec: Niecy Nash-Betts has revealed the All's Fair cast have a NSFW group chat without Ryan Murphy
     03 Dec: Oh. What. Fun. is a light, frivolous Christmas comedy – about motherhood and female rage
     03 Dec: Prince William's children "love" Fawlty Towers
     03 Dec: Millie Bobby Brown says she and David Harbour value their friendship "more than anything"
     03 Dec: Helena Bonham Carter says Tim Burton was sketching while she was "literally giving birth"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The All Blacks will find out their pool stage opponents at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia later tonight More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Air New Zealand says strike action planned for next Monday is off for many cabin crew, but some are still planning to walk off the job More...



     Today's News

    Health & Safety:
    Five new measles cases have been identified 18:57

    Business:
    Air New Zealand says strike action planned for next Monday is off for many cabin crew, but some are still planning to walk off the job 18:37

    National:
    Coral reefs have orchestrated Earth’s climate for 250 million years 18:17

    International:
    Michael and Susan Dell donate nearly $10 billion to 'Trump accounts' for children 18:17

    Law and Order:
    Auckland restaurateur Leo Molloy says he'll pay the fine the Veterinary Council's imposed - for breaching name suppression of the murderer of British backpacker, Grace Millane 18:07

    National:
    Thunderstorms are noisily kicking off summer in NZ – what’s driving them? 18:07

    Living & Travel:
    More than 11 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 went missing - the search is about to resume 18:07

    Law and Order:
    The Public Service Commissioner says former Police Commissioner Andrew Coster's resignation from leading the Social Investment Agency - was the right thing to do 17:57

    Rugby:
    The All Blacks will find out their pool stage opponents at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia later tonight 17:27

    Rugby League:
    None of the Perth Bears' first four additions will play in the NRL next season 16:57


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd