See Prince Louis' Sweet Surprise for Princess Charlotte During His First Christmas Walkabout

Prince Louis is one thoughtful younger brother!

On Christmas morning, the 4-year-old prince attended his first holiday service at St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham with the rest of the royal family. While Prince Louis held hands with his mom Kate Middleton on the way into the church service, he briefly fell behind his dad Prince William, elder brother Prince George, 9, and big sister Princess Charlotte, 7, during the walkabout after, making for an adorable moment when he ran to catch up.

As seen in a now-viral clip shared to social media, Prince Louis cried out "Charlotte!" and dashed to give his sister a small bouquet, arm outstretched. A chorus of "awws" echoed throughout the crowd, as Prince William, 40, gently guided his youngest son along the paved path.

Samir Hussein/WireImage

The royal family's walk to and from the church at Sandringham was the first time the tradition had been held in three years amid the coronavirus pandemic. This Christmas was also different as it marked the first without Queen Elizabeth, who died at age 96 in September.

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"It will be hard, as the Queen was all they knew, like most of Britain," a former palace staffer told PEOPLE. "The first year is most difficult, as it is always the first of everything that you notice."

Continuing tradition, King Charles III led the charge for the morning march to church, with Queen Camilla by his side. Later that day, his first Christmas speech as sovereign was broadcast across the U.K., where he remembered his mother with love in a touching address.

Samir Hussein/WireImage King Charles and royal family at Christmas 2022

"I am standing here in this exquisite Chapel of St. George at Windsor Castle, so close to where my beloved mother, the late Queen, is laid to rest with my dear father," the King, 74, began. "I am reminded of the deeply touching letters, cards and messages which so many of you have sent my wife and myself and I cannot thank you enough for the love and sympathy you have shown our whole family."

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He continued, "Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition."

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"In the much-loved carol 'O Little Town of Bethlehem,' we sing of how 'in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light.' My mother's belief in the power of that light was an essential part of her faith in God, but also her faith in people — and it is one which I share with my whole heart. It is a belief in the extraordinary ability of each person to touch, with goodness and compassion, the lives of others, and to shine a light in the world around them. This is the essence of our community and the very foundation of our society," he said.

King Charles "has huge empathy" for others experiencing loss, a former palace staffer told PEOPLE ahead of the holiday.

"We are so used to seeing the iconic footage of the Queen leading her family to church on Christmas morning," the staffer said. "This year there will be a great deal of reflection and sorrow."