Sophie set to join royals at church

Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, was today expected to join other members of the British royals at a Christmas church service - her first public appearance since she lost her unborn baby.

Prince Edward’s wife is under doctor’s orders to rest after suffering an ectopic pregnancy.

She has been convalescing at the couple’s home, Bagshot Park in Surrey, since leaving hospital on December 10 following an emergency operation.

The 36-year-old Countess was expected at Sandringham for the traditional gathering of senior Royals to celebrate Christmas.

As many as 20 Royals, including the 101-year-old Queen Mother, were due at the Queen’s Norfolk estate where they were attending a Christmas morning church service.

Well-wishers were expected to congregate outside the Church of St Mary Magdalen to catch a glimpse of Sophie and the other Royals, including Prince William, 19, and Prince Harry, 17.

After the service, which was being relayed by loudspeakers to the large crowd outside, the Royals were expected to chat to Well-wishers and receive flowers, cards and other Christmas gifts.

Later, the Queen was on television, radio and the Internet, delivering her annual Christmas message, recorded at Buckingham Palace.

It is a royal tradition to open presents, around a large Christmas tree, on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas Day, and the family arrived at Sandringham House by teatime yesterday.

Absent from the family gathering again this year was the divorced Duchess of York who, as in previous years, was staying as the Queen’s guest at Wood Farm on the estate.

The Duke and Duchess of York’s children, Princess Beatrice, 13, and Princess Eugenie, 11, are collected from the farmhouse by the Duke to be with their cousins and other relatives at the ‘‘big house’’.