A seldom-seen branch of the royal family recently emerged to show their support for the Princess of Wales during her annual Christmas carol concert. This notable appearance marked a rare public outing for Lady Davina Windsor and her children, Senna Kōwhai Lewis, 15, and Tane Mahuta, 13.

The last time Lady Davina and her children stepped into the public eye was during the state funeral of the late Queen in London on September 19, 2022. Back then, Senna, the granddaughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, was just 12 years old. She was photographed grasping her mother’s hand as they joined senior royal family members at Westminster Abbey.

Fast forward to last week, and Senna’s demeanor captured a different vibe entirely. The teenager was all smiles for the cameras outside Westminster Abbey, exuding confidence and grace.

As they attended the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas service on December 5 in London, 15-year-old Senna stood noticeably taller than her mother. Enthusiastic fans on social media platforms like X/Twitter were quick to commend the poised young royal for her appearance.

The 15-year-old towered over her mother as they arrived for the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas service in London on December 5, as fans on X/Twitter rushed to praise the poised teenager. 

Senna picked a royal blue dress with a delicate black lace trim, and paired it with a velvet navy blazer as well as black stockings and ballet flats for an understated yet elegant festive look. 

‘What a lovely girl she’s grown up to be!’ one X user wrote about Senna, who is also the first biracial child born into the Royal Family. 

Another wrote: ‘Lovely to see Lady Davina Windsor with her children. Family gathering at the Christmas service is such a special way to support each other and celebrate.’ 

A rarely-seen royal family member stepped out of the shadows at Kate Middleton ‘s annual Christmas carol concert as fans couldn’t believe her striking transformation. Pictured: The granddaughter of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester 

Lady Davina Windsor’s daughter Senna Kōwhai Lewis (centre) and son Tane Mahuta, 13, at the Princess of Wales’ Together at Christmas service at Westminster Abbey on December 5 in London 

 A third simply said: ‘Beautiful kids.’ 

Born on June 22, 2010, Senna is the older child of Lady Davina and Māori carpenter and sheep-rearer Gary Lewis.

Lady Davina, who is the eldest daughter of the late Queen’s first cousin, the Duke of Gloucester,  is closely related to today’s most senior royals. When she was born, Lady Davina was 10th in line to the British throne. 

Yet in contrast with high-profile cousins such as Lady Amelia Windsor, Davina, 48, has followed a more private path through life. 

This was certainly true about her intercontinental romance with New Zealand-born Gary, who crossed paths with Davina while she was on holiday in Bali in 2000. 

She was relaxing, having recently graduated from the University of the West of England, while Gary, now 53, was on a surfing trip.

Mr Lewis comes from Gisborne on New Zealand’s North Island.

His father, Larry, was a farmer and champion sheep shearer in New Zealand in the 1980s and his mother, Viki Carr, previously worked as a maid.

They kept their romance under wraps until Davina, a great-granddaughter of George V,  and Gary tied the knot at Kensington Palace’s private chapel in a low-key yet romantic ceremony in 2004. 

Their union made Gary, then 33, the first person of Maori descent to marry into the Royal Family, as he told the BBC his future in-laws were ‘no different than anyone else’. 

The last time that Lady Davina Windsor’s daughter Senna Kōwhai Lewis made a public appearance was at the late Queen’s state funeral in London on September 19, 2022

Lady Davina married Māori carpenter and sheep-rearer Gary Lewis in a low-key ceremony at Kensington Palace’s private chapel in 2004

Gary carrying baby Senna on his shoulders as the family attended the Gatcombe Horse Trials at Gatcombe Park, Minchinhampton on March 24, 2012 in Stroud, England

 At the time, a spokesperson for the Royal Family said Davina and Gary wanted a ‘quiet, private wedding’ while confirming that the Queen would not be present.  

In June 2010, Davina gave birth to a daughter, Senna Kowhai. Then, two years later, they welcomed a son, Tane Mahuta.

When the Succession to the Crown Act 2013 came into effect, Senna became the nearest relative of Her Majesty to be affected by it as she moved in front of her younger brother in the line of succession. 

Gary and Davina’s marriage eventually ran into trouble, however, and after 14 years together, the pair divorced in 2018, with friends citing ‘cultural differences’ as one of the causes.

A friend told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s very sad, but their differences were just too great in the end.’

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson later told the Daily Mail’s Diary Editor Richard Eden that the divorce was ‘amicable’ and that both Davina and Gary – who has a 26-year-old son from a previous relationship –  remain ‘actively involved in the upbringing of their children’.

Lady Davina does not carry out any official duties for the Royal Family and typically only joins the Firm for significant events such as Trooping the Colour and royal weddings, including the nuptials of Prince William and Catherine. 

It is even rarer for her and Gary’s two children to be spotted in public, making their attendance at Catherine’s Christmas extravaganza even more special.

Senna and her younger brother Tane, both dressed in formal attire, were seen mingling with guests inside the Abbey as they stood close to their mother

The 15-year-old towered over her mother as they arrived for the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas service in London on December 5, as fans on X/ Twitter rushed to praise the teenager for her poise and grace

Senna and Tane, both dressed in formal attire, were seen mingling with guests inside the Abbey as they stood close to their mother. 

While several members of the royal family came out to support Catherine as she hosted her fifth consecutive Christmas carol service, notable absences included the Princess’s sister Pippa Middleton as well as Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. 

While Pippa, 42, was later spotted at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, it is understood Beatrice and Eugenie could not attend the event due to previous commitments. 

Ahead of the service, it was reported that Catherine had personally reached out to her cousins-in-law with invites to the star-studded service in a bid to help keep the Royal Family united amid the scandal surrounding their father Andrew. 

While Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, were touched to have been asked, both were ultimately unable to join other family members at the service.

In a post on social media, Eugenie said: ‘Wish Bea and I could have been celebrating tonight with our family.

‘Wishing @princeandprincessofwales such a special evening at her incredible carol service. What an amazing message of love and hope.’