...for December 2001
December 26, 2001 -
- Timy Katherine Bennett chased after Prince William yesterday to give him some special Christmas kisses — and she didn't let anything stand in her way.
The six-year-old — who is barely 4ft tall — ran 20 yards to meet her burly 6ft 3ins royal sweetheart.
She leapt into action when Wills, 19, failed to spot her as she tried to give him a bag of sweets called chocolate kisses as he mingled with wellwishers outside St Mary Magdelene Church in Sandringham.
Katherine slipped from the 1,000-strong crowd and ran down the path until she was standing right in front of the Prince.
She held up the sweets for him and said: "These are for you. Merry Christmas."
Wills, already clutching flowers and other gifts, smiled and replied: "Thanks very much — I am going to have them after lunch."
Katherine then shook his hand and proudly walked back to where her parents were standing with her brothers David, ten, Christian, nine, and Sam, four.
The American youngster later told The Sun: "He is definitely my favourite Royal. I think he is lovely."
And Katherine's mum Heather said: "She has always been a big fan of William — she thinks he is really cute.
"This has made her Christmas and William seemed very pleased.
"Katherine looked a little disappointed when William missed her but that is because he is so tall.
"She was determined she would give him her present. She also gave him a Christmas card."
Her dad John — a US Army surgeon based at RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk — managed to take pictures of Katherine's meeting.
He said: "She will want me to get these developed pretty soon."
John — a major from Utah — has been stationed at Lakenheath for two years.
Like other US personnel, he is on standby to take care of any casualties flown back from the Afghanistan crisis.
The kisses may have worked for Katherine but another wellwisher was not so lucky.
A woman in her 30s who asked Wills if she could give him a kiss was told: "Some other time."
Wills and his brother Harry, 17, joined the Queen and 15 other Royals for the annual Christmas service at the Norfolk church.
Only two major Royals missed the ceremony — the 101-year-old Queen Mother, who is getting over a cold, and Princess Margaret, 71, who is still recovering from a series of strokes.
Prince Edward's wife Sophie, who lost a baby three weeks ago after an ectopic pregnancy, arrived by car with the Queen for the service.
Afterwards, she was helped down the church steps by husband Prince Edward and Commodore Tim Laurence, Princess Anne's husband.
Sophie, who looked as though she had lost weight, wore a beige coat with blue check and matching hat.
The Queen, who accompanied Sophie back to Sandringham House for a family lunch, was dressed in a green suit.
Princess Anne was in a better mood this year.
In 2000, she upset royal fan Iris Halfpenny by refusing to accept a home-made basket and telling her: "What a ridiculous thing to do."
Yesterday the smiling Princess Royal accepted a large number of flowers, thanking the crowd and wishing them Merry Christmas.
Iris, from Lincolnshire, was back among the wellwishers yesterday — but she did not speak to Anne Instead she gave a gift to Prince Andrew's daughter Princess Eugenie, 11, who was there with big sister Beatrice, 13.
The Princesses' mum Fergie was NOT with them.
She is staying at nearby Wood Farm for the holiday but is still banned by the Duke of Edinburgh from joining the other royals on Christmas Day.
Prince Charles left the church talking to his father.
Other royals present included Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband, Daniel, Princess Margaret's son Viscount Linley and his wife, Serena, and Princess Anne's children Peter Phillips, 24, and Zara, 20.
Emily Coughlin, of Wakefield, West Yorks, said: "It was lovely to see William.
"I remember coming here when he was just a baby with Princess Diana and he has turned into a charming and lovely young man.
"Princess Anne was very nice as well this year.
"Everyone was fed up with her last year because she was rude.
"But she seems to have learned her lesson and was being nice to everyone. It is Christmas, after all.
"It was also nice to see Sophie. She has had a traumatic time and it was great to see the Royal Family rallying round."
Dorothy Cornwell, 50, of Broughton, Cambs, said: "It was marvellous to see Sophie out and about so soon after her distressing operation.
"She is very brave and she could so easily have stayed at home. I think she is beginning to look much better.
"But it is going to take some time emotionally to get over this."
Dorothy added: "I hope 2002 will bring her a lot more happiness."
And David Stevenson, 55, of Bourne, Lincs, said: "It was lovely to see Sophie — but she looked pale and thin."