Prince William’s ‘secret’ step-sister is expected to join the Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations this year, though their relationship has not always been a close one.
The traditional festivities at Sandringham are set to welcome around 45 attendees, marking one of the largest family gatherings in recent years. Prince William himself revealed the figure during a festive event in Wiltshire for the families of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment, sayin
The most senior members of the royal family will, of course, be present at the table, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, and the Earl and Countess of Wessex. Additionally, many of the younger royal cousins are expected to join in the day’s fun and excitement.
As the family emphasizes unity amid health concerns for the King and Princess Kate, Queen Camilla’s daughter, Laura Lopes, has also been invited—highlighting what appears to be a mending of alleged tensions within the blended family.
This is the second occasion that 46-year-old art curator Laura has joined the royal family for Christmas, with her first appearance taking place last year. Laura and her older brother, Tom Parker Bowles, 49, were born during Camilla’s first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles, 84. Laura arrived on New Year’s Day in 1978.
A fellow mum-of-three with a love for art, much like Princess Kate, Laura pursued her passion by studying Art History with Marketing at Oxford Brookes University. In 2005, she launched her own fine art gallery, Eleven. That same year, her life took a significant turn when King Charles married her mother, Queen Camilla, in a civil ceremony near Windsor Castle.
The marriage meant that Laura and her brother Tom became step-siblings to Princes William and Harry, which reportedly led to some initial challenges in their relationship. Despite sharing laughter at the wedding in April 2005, reports suggest that William and Laura often clashed.
In the 2010 biography Harry and William, author Katie Nicholl detailed: “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. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Laura chose Anna Valentine to design her wedding dress, accessorizing it with a diamond-encrusted tiara—a family heirloom previously worn by the now-Queen Camilla during her first marriage.
Harry, a former Calvin Klein model, also boasts aristocratic lineage, making him well-suited to gatherings like those at Sandringham. According to Hello! magazine, Harry is the grandson of Massey Lopes, 2nd Baron Roborough, and is set to inherit both Gnaton Hall in Devon and Skelpick Estate in the Scottish Highlands.
The couple has three children: daughter Eliza, 16, and twins Gus and Louis, 14. All three are expected to join the upcoming family gathering. Their appearances at various prominent royal events over the years suggest that any past tensions have eased significantly.
Eliza played a special role as a bridesmaid at Prince William and Princess Kate’s wedding in 2011. During the iconic moment on the Buckingham Palace balcony, her stepfather, King Charles, was seen lifting her up to wave at the excited crowds below. Gus and Louis also had significant roles, serving as Pages of Honour at the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla, alongside their step-cousin, Prince George.
The family is now preparing for what is expected to be one of their most joyful Christmas celebrations in recent years. Reflecting on the occasion, former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond shared with OK!: “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.”
