Prince William’s ‘secret’ step-sister is set to join the Royal Family for the Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, despite previously frosty relations. In what looks to be one of their largest festive gatherings in recent years, the Royals are anticipated to see some 45 family members attend. Prince William casually revealed the figure during a seasonal event in Wiltshire with families from the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment, mentioning: “We’ll be in Norfolk, at Sandringham. We’ll be 45 for Christmas. It won’t be quiet, it will be noisy.”
Naturally, the most revered figures of the monarchy will occupy their traditional places at the table, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex, joined by the throng of younger royals relishing the festivities. During this period of unity, particularly with health worries for both the King and Princess Kate in the backdrop, Laura Lopes, Queen Camilla’s daughter, has also been extended an invite, suggesting a mending of reported historical tensions within this merged family. For the latest Welsh news delivered to your inbox sign up to our newsletter.
This occasion will count as the second instance of art curator Laura, aged 46, partaking in the Royal Yuletide cheer – her initial inclusion was just the previous year. She, along with her brother Tom Parker Bowles, age 49, became members of the family through their mother Camilla’s first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles, aged 84, Laura having come into the world on New Year’s Day 1978, reports the Mirror. Like the Duchess of Cambridge, Laura, a mother of three, shares a love for art. She pursued Art History with Marketing at Oxford Brookes University before establishing the fine art gallery Eleven in 2005.
That same year marked a significant change in Laura’s life when her mother, Camilla, married Prince Charles in a civil ceremony near Windsor Castle. This highly publicised marriage meant that Laura and food writer Tom became step-siblings to Princes William and Harry, a transition that wasn’t always smooth. Despite being seen sharing a laugh at the April 2005 ceremony, it has been reported that William and Laura had some “terrible fights”.
In her 2010 book ‘Harry and William’, author Katie Nicholl wrote: “William and Laura used to have terrible fights over who was to blame for their broken homes. William would blame Camilla for all the hurt she had caused his mother [Princess Diana], which would send Laura into a rage. Laura was not having any of it. She would take a hard line and fire back at William, ‘Your father has ruined my life’.” In 2006, Laura tied the knot with chartered accountant Harry Lopes in a Wiltshire ceremony attended by Princes William and Harry. Like her mother, Laura chose Anna Valentine for her wedding dress, completing her look with a diamond-encrusted tiara – a family heirloom worn by her mother, now Queen Camilla, during her first walk down the aisle.
Harry, an ex-Calvin Klein model, not only has glamorous fashion credentials but aristocratic lineage to boot, making him right at home at the Sandringham festive table. As noted by Hello! magazine, Harry is the progeny of Massey Lopes, 2nd Baron Roborough, destined to one day inherit Gnaton Hall in Devon and Skelpick Estate in the Scottish Highlands. Laura, alongside Harry, has been blessed with three children: Their daughter Eliza, 16, and 14 year old twin sons, Gus and Louis. The young trio are expected to add a sparkle to the imminent Royal festivities.
Their frequent appearances at prominent Royal occasions hint at a mellowing of past strains within the family. Eliza occupied the honoured role of a bridesmaid at the wedding of Prince William and Princess Kate back in 2011. She was lifted high by her step-grandfather, now King Charles, on the Buckingham Palace balcony to greet the jubilant crowd below. Her brothers, Gus and Louis, have also held esteemed roles as Pages of Honour during King Charles and Queen Camilla’s coronation, accompanied by their step-cousin, Prince George.
The entire family is gearing up for what promises to be a particularly grand Christmas, surrounded by their nearest and dearest following a challenging year. Speaking to OK!, former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond reflected: “After the year they’ve had, I’m sure it’s going to mean the world to the King and Queen to have as many of their family as possible joining them for Christmas. And, as the number of youngsters increases, so the celebrations become more and more child oriented. Which is exactly what Christmas should be all about.”
