Kate Middleton jokes about getting ‘an early start’ on Christmas Day as she discusses children’s presents

Kate Middleton has poked fun at how she got an “early start” on Christmas Day, as she spoke about the presents that she and Prince William gave to their children.

The Prince and Princess of Wales attended the royal family’s traditional Christmas service at St Mary Magdalene Church on Sunday. As they walked from the Sandringham House to church, with King Charles III and his wife, Camilla, William and Kate were also joined by their three children: Prince George, nine, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four.

On Twitter, one fan shared a video of Kate approaching a group of well-wishers, before accepting a bouquet of flowers from a young girl named India. After thanking and greeting the child, Kate asked: “Have you had a nice morning? Has Father Christmas been?,” referring to the traditional English name for Santa Claus.

In response, India nodded and asked the Princess how she was doing, prompting Kate to speak briefly about her Christmas festivities.

“I’ve had a lovely morning,” she said. “Had quite an early start this morning, as I’m sure you did.”

When a woman behind India asked Kate if her children got “lots of nice things” for Christmas, the Duchess of Cambridge responded: “They got lots of lovely things, thank you very much.”

In the comments of the video, many Twitter users praised Kate for her sweet interaction with the well-wisher.

“She’s the sweetest and so good with kids!” one wrote, while another said: “She is so natural and friendly, just perfect.”

On Christmas Day, the Prince and Princess of Wales also shared a rare glimpse of their family life. On Twitter, the pair marked the occasion by tweeting an image of a reindeer in the snow with two robins, which was painted by their eldest son.

They explained that the painting had been done by George, while captioning the post: “Happy Christmas!” The artwork impressed fans, many praised the nine-year-old’s art skills and thanked his parents for sharing his painting.

Earlier this month, Kate dedicated a Christmas carol service to Queen Elizabeth II and paid tribute to the late royal’s “legacy”. In a pre-recorded introductory message for her annual festive concert, she acknowledged how much the Queen loved Christmas.

“Her Majesty held Christmas close to her heart, as a time that brought people together and reminded us of the importance of faith, friendship and family, and to show empathy and compassion,” the royal said. “Her Majesty leaves with us an incredible legacy and one that has deeply inspired many of us.”