Queen wears fur coat ahead of traditional Sandringham Christmas church service

The Queen chose to wear a much-criticised fur coat on Christmas day prior to the traditional church service in Sandringham. The 89-year-old monarch quickly slipped into a vibrant red coat after she was pictured wearing a brown fur coat.

She arrived at the chapel on the Sandringham Estate in her old fur garment, which she has owned since 1961. When she wore the same coat on Christmas day in 2013, she incurred the wrath of animal rights groups. The Queen has been pictured wearing fur garments on several occasions.

Users on Twitter scorned the monarch's choice of garment. One user named Martha Lewins wrote: "The queen wearing fur makes me hate her even more." Another user questioned: "Why would the queen think it's alright to wear fur?"

The royals gathered at the church for their traditional Christmas day service but Prince George and Princess Charlotte did not make it. The Queen was joined by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. The Duchess, who was wearing a festive green calf-length coat, was seen entering the church chatting with her brother-in-law.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Andrew, also attended the service at St Mary Magdalene's church in Norfolk estate. The Queen's Christmas day address is to be broadcast shortly.

Animal rights group Peta in 2013 criticised the monarch saying: "How can Queen Elizabeth not yet have learned what's right and wrong and abandoned fur, the product of immense suffering."

"Animals are routinely strangled, electrocuted and skinned alive for their pelts. Fur farming was banned in 2000 because it's a cruel industry that no longer represents British values.

"We truly hope that the Queen gets with these more enlightened times and chooses to wear something more humane in the future." IBTimes UK is awaiting an official response from Peta over the latest incident. The Queen returned to her Sandringham House after wrapping up the church service.