This Christmas, a new face joined the royal family’s traditional walk to St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. Eleanor Ekserdjian, the girlfriend of Princess Margaret’s grandson Samuel Chatto, accompanied him for the festive outing, marking a significant milestone in their relationship.
Samuel, 28, stood out in a Highgrove scarf, a merino wool piece gifted by King Charles last year, as he and Eleanor strolled with other royals. Eleanor’s presence is notable, as traditionally only married partners attend the Sandringham Christmas walkabout. The exception recalls Meghan Markle’s groundbreaking appearance in 2017 as Prince Harry’s fiancée, ahead of their 2018 wedding.
Eleanor, a multidisciplinary artist, graduated with an MA in Fine Art from the University of Edinburgh in 2019, the same university Samuel attended to study History of Art. Known for her unique approach to art, Eleanor’s recent work involves creating drawings inspired by silent films. By projecting films onto paper and drawing over them, she captures the emotional and visual language of the medium, transforming them into “lyrical landscapes of anxiety.”
The Sandringham appearance signals a significant step in Samuel and Eleanor’s relationship, with Eleanor making a poised debut among the royals. Her artistic background and connection to Samuel continue to draw interest, as she seamlessly blends into the royal tradition while carving her own unique path.
