Prince Edward beams during a surprise visit to the Sunday service at Castle Rising Church in Norfolk

Prince Edward appeared cheerful as he attended a Castle Rising Church service in Norfolk today.

The Duke of Edinburgh was all smiles as he was pictured enjoying a stroll through the historic building's picturesque grounds during the outing.

Dad-of-two Edward looked dapper, wrapped warmly in a gray tweed coat against the grim January weather.

Underneath his jacket he put on what looked like a dark gray two-piece suit, paired with a crisp white shirt.

The 59-year-old completed his Sunday outfit with black patent Oxfords and a striped tie in royal blue, yellow, navy blue and green.

Today's outing (pictured) seemed to be a cheerful one, with the guests appearing to smile as they spoke to each other

Edward did not appear to have been photographed with his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, 58.

The couple's children also did not appear to appear in any of the photos.

The couple, who married in 1999, have two children, Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex.

Lady Louise, who turned 20 last November, is a student at St Andrew's University, where she studies English.

Although she has made some public appearances recently, she has generally been sheltered from public life.

Sophie and James' parents chose not to give the children princess and prince titles when they were young so that they could have as normal an upbringing as possible, and when they were older they could decide how much they wanted to be involved in public life .

The couple's youngest child, James, was previously called Viscount Severn, but he inherited his father's subordinate title when his parents were promoted to Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in March 2023, and is now known as the Earl of Wessex.

Like his sister, James has been spotted by the public at major royal events in recent times, but for many little is known about the 16-year-old, who lives at Bagshot Park, a 17th century estate near Windsor. with his parents.

Edward seemed to beam for snappers as he attended today's service. He did not appear to be accompanied by his family

While Sophie may not be the most prolific of royals, she was one of the late Queen Elizabeth II's favorites.

The youngster had a difficult start in life: she was admitted prematurely to Frimley Park Hospital in Surrey, England, on November 8.

The doctors realized she needed an emergency caesarean section. She showed signs of acute placental abruption, in which the lining of the uterus separates.

The moment Louise was born, weighing just 1.25kg, she was rushed to St George's Hospital in Tooting for special care.

According to the Mail On Sunday in 2014, Sophie had lost so much blood that she was just 15 minutes away from death.

The royal family were chatting with other churchgoers during Sunday service at Castle Rising Church today (pictured)

Louise was born with esotropia, a condition where the eyes turn outward, and developed problems with her vision during her childhood.

She had her first eye surgery at just 18 months, but the procedure was unsuccessful and Lady Louise had to undergo a second attempt in 2014. This time the surgeons succeeded.

Louise was baptized in the private chapel in Windsor with godparents including Lady Sarah Chatto and Lord Ivar Mountbatten.

She instilled a great sense of personal pride in Prince Philip when she became the first royal to officially bear the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, ensuring that Philip's surname, Mountbatten, lived on into the future of the royal family.

A former aide said Philip would be “delighted” that, 55 years after the birth of his first child, a member of the Firm would finally continue the Mountbatten line.

Both Prince Edward (photo) and his wife Sophie wanted their two children to live as normal a life as possible

Little is known about James. He was 15th in line to the throne and the youngest grandchild of the late Queen Elizabeth II. He was born James Alexander Philip Theo Mountbatten-Windsor on December 17, 2007 in Surrey.

When he was born, James (who was described by his father as “very cute and very cuddly”) was eighth in line for the throne, ahead of his older sister Lady Louise Windsor.

Since then, the introduction of the Succession to the Crown Act means that male children no longer overtake female siblings when it comes to the order of succession.

The law was passed in 2013 and only applies to those born after October 28, 2011.

James, said to be one of the Queen's favorite grandchildren, was baptized in April 2008 in the private chapel of Windsor Castle.