Sarah, Duchess of York was publicly back at the heart of the royal family after joining the King and Queen at church on Christmas Day.

The former royal, who has had a troubled relationship with the monarchy, was pictured, smiling, and glancing towards the waiting media as she walked beside her ex-husband, the disgraced Duke of York.

Royal fans were treated to the sight of the Prince and Princess of Wales walking hand in hand with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis from Sandringham house on their way to St Mary Magdalene Church.

And in a touching moment, Zara and Mike Tindall’s eldest daughter Mia held hands with Louis, who in turn held his father’s hand.

The King and Queen led the way smiling at more than 2,000 well-wishers gathered to watch the traditional procession of royals to church, with many waiting hours to get a prime spot.

Among the group were the Princess Royal and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, and the Tindalls with their other daughter Lena.

Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were joined by their children Lady Louise Windsor and Viscount Severn.

It has been decades since Sarah made the short walk from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church with royals – normally reserved for close family – but in recent years it is thought she has been a guest for Christmas lunch.

Born Sarah Ferguson and dubbed Fergie by the press, she was cast out from the royals amid her “toe-sucking” scandal in the 1990s and fell deeply into debt.

In 2010 she was caught up in the cash-for-access scandal, offering to sell an introduction to her ex-husband for £500,000 to an undercover reporter posing as a businessman.

But she has won plaudits in recent months for her battle with breast cancer, praised for speaking openly about her treatment and setting an example for other women to get screened.

It is thought the last time she was pictured walking to church with Queen Elizabeth was in the early 1990s.

For the second year in succession, Andrew made the walk from Sandringham to church with the other royals – symbolic of his gradual rehabilitation within the monarchy.

Andrew’s alleged links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are set to come under further scrutiny in the new year with the release of hundreds of files from a defamation case following a ruling by a US judge.

His daughters Princess Beatrice, who walked with her partner Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and Prince Eugenie, with her spouse Jack Brooksbank, also attended.

After the service, Andrew and Sarah joined the King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales, meeting the waiting public during a walkabout.

Andrew could be seen laughing and throwing up his hands as he joked with well-wishes and the Duchess collected flowers and spoke to many of those waiting.

Barbara Locke, 80, from Sleaford, Lincs, has been travelling to Sandringham each Christmas Day for more that 30 years to see the royal family.

She said about Sarah: “She’s a nice girl, she fits in and I think she’s genuine. She’s lovely and I like seeing her with the royal family again.

“I’m a royalist, I love the royals. I shook the King’s hand, that’s made my day – I’m happy.”

Rachel Bylo, 85, travelled from St Albans and got the chance to wish Sarah a Merry Christmas: “I suppose I’m a royalist and this was a good spot to see all of them.

“Sarah’s girls are her so it’s nice to have here with her girls – Eugenie and Beatrice are lovely.”

Away from the well-wishers was a lone protester, who kept some distance from the church waving a Palestinian flag.