Christmas promises to be a jolly affair for King Charles after his first year as sovereign. The British monarchy is known for its traditions and sense of ceremony, whether it’s a national parade or the tasteful decorations that typically adorn the royal palaces during the festive period.
Click or scroll on and let’s take a look back to see how it’s usually done inside the royal residences, plus learn about some fun traditions the family share…
Hosting his second Christmas as monarch at Sandringham, the King will make sure it’s a fun-filled day for his family, with all the usual festive traditions, and perhaps an extra dose of silliness thrown in so that everyone feels at home.
“Christmas for the Royal family under his reign is likely to be a slightly more relaxed and boisterous affair than in the time of the late Queen,” royal expert Jennie Bond told woman&home.
The King, seen here with the Queen in last year’s official Christmas card, is known to prefer a less formal festive celebration than his late mother; but he will be sure to hold on to some of her favourite traditions, including that of outdoing one another with absurd gifts.
The late monarch was said to have been particularly fond of a plastic, singing sea bass given to her once by Prince Harry.
Sadly, Prince Harry and Meghan are unlikely to join in the fun. Prince Harry has driven a wedge between himself and his family after the publication of his book, Spare, in January 2023 and was not invited to appear on the balcony after his father’s coronation in May. He also wasn't invited to the King’s 75th birthday party in November, reports The Mirror.
The couple no longer have a home in Britain after they were requested to vacate Frogmore Cottage, but are said to be looking for their own base in the UK so that their children can get to know their extended family.
Meanwhile, the disgraced Prince Andrew is still out in the cold. He remains a member of the royal family, so he is likely to be invited to the Christmas celebrations again this year, but he will never be a senior working royal again due to his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, however, who is recovering from breast cancer, is certain to be on the list. She’s the mother of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, key figures at the festivities and, according to Jennie Bond at Woman&Home, is “a vibrant addition to any party." But where do the royals have their parties?
Windsor Castle was the original venue for the royal family Christmas until 1998, when the celebrations were moved to Sandringham, while the castle was being rewired. Every year a spectacular Christmas tree is installed outside Windsor Castle ahead of the Christmas lights switch-on and lantern procession.
Windsor Castle is decked out for the occasion with opulent decorations in the lead-up to the big day. A towering Christmas tree is erected in St George's Hall, which was the location of Meghan and Harry's wedding reception. This year, the estate's Christmas decorations will be on display from 30 November, 2023 to 1 January 2024.
The tree is a regal visual feast… In previous years, the 20-foot tall Nordmann fir tree has been decorated with fun royal-themed velvet baubles, including this mini crown, as well as purple ribbons and hundreds of twinkling lights.
The King broke with tradition in 2022 by holding the first luncheon of the festive season for his whole family at Windsor Castle rather than Buckingham Palace, as in previous years.
It was the biggest family gathering since the late Queen’s funeral in September, 2022, and included the traditional turkey-and-trimmings lunch. They had previously attended a carol concert at Westminster Abbey (pictured here).
King Charles III paid tribute to his mother in his first Christmas message as monarch in 2022 from St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the late Queen was laid to rest next to her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
“Christmas is a particularly poignant time for all of us who have lost loved ones. We feel their absence at every familiar turn of the season and remember them in each cherished tradition,” he said, while also referring to the cost-of-living crisis, reports The Independent.
In her last Christmas speech in 2021, the late Queen spoke from the White Drawing Room at Windsor Castle and honoured her late husband, Prince Philip, saying that while she and her family missed him, “I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”
The Queen spent the last two Christmases of her life at Windsor due to the pandemic, when it was not possible to travel to Sandringham.
As Windsor Castle is usually open to the public near Christmas, many of the rooms are lavishly decorated. This spectacular Christmas tree stood in the Crimson Drawing Room in 2022 and was adorned in red ornaments to match the décor.
In 2023 it will be topped with a garter star to mark the 675th anniversary of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in Britain.
Growing up, the Queen and Princess Margaret spent many happy Christmases at Windsor Castle, where they were safely evacuated during the Second World War.
They took part in pantomimes to raise money for the War Fund and are pictured here in their very own production entitled Old Mother Red Riding Boots in 1944, which was attended by the Queen's husband-to-be Prince Philip. “I have never known Lilibet more animated,” her governess Marion Crawford observed.
In the State Apartments at Windsor, visitors can also marvel at the grandeur of the State Dining Room. The large table is set with silver-gilded pieces from the dazzling Grand Service.
The spectacular set was commissioned by George IV and continued to be used by the late Queen Elizabeth II and her guests at state banquets.
In his role as monarch, the King will continue traditions that have been performed for many years, including the gifts he gives. The late Queen presented a number of Christmas trees from her Windsor estate and her son will continue to do so.
The Queen also gave Christmas puddings to all her staff, reports Hello! And then there’s the family gifts to think of – he will have his work cut out!
Buckingham Palace is usually alive with Christmas spirit over the festive period. In previous years the late Queen's annual speech was delivered from one of the rooms at the palace, and reflected on the highs and lows of the passing year.
Although the speech is always broadcast on Christmas Day, it is usually pre-recorded and gives the public a glimpse of the monarch in their private quarters. Here, Her Majesty sat at her desk surrounded by pictures of her family in the White Drawing Room.
A huge amount of preparation goes into dressing the royal homes for Christmas. At the beginning of December, it's time for the incredible decorations to start arriving at Buckingham Palace.
Each year, three trees are placed in the grand Marble Hall. Grown in Windsor, the trees are fixed in place by a specialist team and then decorated with festive baubles.
The Windsors like to keep it classic when decorating their 15-foot trees. Twinkling with hundreds of lights, regal decorations including mini velvet crowns and state carriages, similar to those used at Windsor Castle, adorn the branches.
While the trees are decorated by a dedicated team, members of the royal family will add a final flourish of their own to each.
A traditional garland is pictured here strung over the Grand Staircase. Buckingham Palace is where the late Queen used to host her annual pre-Christmas lunch before everyone headed to Sandringham for Christmas Day, so it was important the palace looked the part.
As previously stated, the King moved the luncheon to Windsor Castle in 2022 due to the ongoing renovations taking place at Buckingham Palace, which are scheduled to be completed in 2027.
The Queen recorded most of her Christmas speeches from the many magnificent rooms of Buckingham Palace over the decades and gave us a mini tour in the process.
From the columned splendour of the Music Room, with its views over the gardens, to the classic comfort of the 1844 Room (pictured here) where she delivered her speech in 2007, to mark the 50th anniversary of her first televised message in 1952, millions watched the monarch and welcomed her into their homes.
Of course, we can't talk about the royals without mentioning Kensington Palace, which was until very recently the main home of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children.
This 30-foot tree was installed in December 2018 and was decked out with huge gold baubles and hundreds of lights. Kensington holds some very special Christmas memories for the royals...
Like this one: Prince William's first Christmas in 1982. His parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, released this adorable photograph of the barefoot newborn heir celebrating the festive season at home in Kensington Palace.
The whole family gathered for Christmas Day that year at Windsor Castle, where they attended the Christmas Day service at St George's Chapel.
Staff at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the monarch's official residence in Scotland, also get busy decorating in time for Christmas. The festive decorations at the stately home, which are open from 23 November until 1 January 2024, include a 15-foot Christmas tree in the Great Gallery, which is adorned with shimmering decorations and sparkling lights.
The rest of the palace is filled with festive wreaths and garlands, while in the Royal Dining Room, the table is laid with pieces from a silver service set that was gifted to George V and Queen Mary in 1935 to mark their Silver Jubilee.
The palace runs festive tours which go behind the ropes and includes the West Drawing Room, which is used by members of the Royal family as a private sitting room.
The Great Stair, which leads to the historic State Apartments, is also decked out in twinkling velvet garlands, glistening berries and seasonal foliage.
Elsewhere, in the wood-panelled Throne Room, you’ll find another Nordmann fir Christmas tree and if you’re really lucky, it just might snow to create the perfect festive scene.
With the past few years an exception, the royal residence of Sandringham is usually home to the family's festivities. The whole family usually heads up for Christmas Eve to begin the celebrations, which last until the New Year.
The Grade II-listed country house sits on a massive 20,000-acre estate that lies within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the Norfolk coast.
Sandringham House has been a private home of the British royals for more than 160 years. Royal watchers were thrilled in 2022, when the new King decided to carry on his mother’s tradition of spending Christmas at Sandringham, reported the BBC.
Crowds usually gather outside the estate’s St Mary Magdalene’s Church to see the royals as they walk back to the house for lunch.
Although the red-brick Sandringham House is the estate’s crowning jewel, there are other residences on-site, including the country home of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Anmer Hall. Kate, William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis stay there over the festive period so the family of five can participate in the Christmas festivities while also spending some family time together.
The Queen would usually head to Sandringham earlier than the rest of the family to undertake preparations for the big day. Her festive tradition involved catching a train with the late Prince Philip to King's Lynn accompanied by their closest staff in their very own carriage as seen here.
Once she arrived at Sandringham, Queen Elizabeth II was said to have overseen the decorating, menus and other holiday planning. She also signed Christmas cards, which were sent to members of the royal family, Commonwealth Prime Ministers and senior members of staff.
It is said that the Queen sent Christmas cards featuring a family photograph to around 750 people, a tradition senior royals have all adopted through the years.
Usually, the rest of the royal family arrives at Sandringham on Christmas Eve. When the Queen was alive, each family unit was given a specific time to arrive in ascending order of status.
For example, junior members would arrive first with the most senior being the last to arrive. It seems unlikely, however, that King Charles adheres to this protocol given that he has made it clear he wants a less formal monarchy.
With everyone gathered at Sandringham on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the little royals finish decorating the two trees inside the stately home. This is a chance for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and their younger brother Prince Louis to show off their creative flair.
While decorating the Christmas trees is mostly handled by staff, the late Queen Elizabeth confided in her 2015 Christmas message: “One of the joys of living a long life is watching one’s children, then grandchildren, then great-grandchildren, help decorate the Christmas tree.”
This year will be the fifth Christmas for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, and the third for their daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, born in June 2021.
Following the fall-out from their Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, last year, it's perhaps not surprising that they didn't join the royal family at Sandringham in 2022, and are unlikely to do so this year either.
Of course, Meghan may have already had her fill of turkey by Christmas Day. Let’s not forget that as an American, Meghan has always celebrated Thanksgiving.
It’s unclear what the family are doing this year, but when Meghan made an appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres talk show in 2021, she shared that she would usually make the dinner, adding: "I love to cook. We'll be home and just sort of relax and settle in. It's our second Thanksgiving at home in California, so it will be nice."
Back to the UK, And when everyone is settled at Sandringham, Christmas gifts are exchanged on Christmas Eve, a German (and widely European) tradition. Everyone will lay their presents out on trestle tables and the exchange of gifts will usually take place around teatime.
But what do you buy the monarch who has everything? Something silly, according to reports. Kate once gave Harry a grow-your-own-girlfriend set, while Meghan is rumoured to have given the Queen a singing hamster in 2017, according to Marie Claire.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry confided to James Corden during an interview to promote his memoir, Spare, that the Queen had sent Archie a waffle maker on the advice of Meghan. "He loves it," said Harry. “And now I have waffles for breakfast, bit of yoghurt, bit of jam on top.”
He also revealed that Meghan bought him a bauble with a picture of the Queen on it for a gift in 2020 from their local shop. It didn’t last long, though, because toddler Archie pulled it off the branch and it smashed to pieces.
Apparently, the sillier the better as far as gifts are concerned. According to reports, Prince Harry bought the Queen a shower cap in 2013 which said: “Ain’t life a b**ch?” while Prince William got her a pair of slippers with her face on them.
Princess Anne bought King Charles a leather toilet seat in reference to his place on the ‘throne’, and Meghan bought Prince William a spoon with 'cereal killer' embossed on it back in 2017. They are obviously game for a laugh!
After the fun and games are complete, and the kids are tucked in bed for Santa’s visit, Sandringham hosts a black-tie dinner. Gowns, glittering jewellery and twinkling tiaras are encouraged.
According to Tatler, it's usually a six-course, candlelit meal, with the menu often written in French. Magnifique!
There's no lounging around in pyjamas watching Home Alone for this family on Christmas morning: they take a brisk walk to St Mary Magdalene Church for a Christmas Day service, while in years gone by, the late Queen was driven over to meet them.
After the church service, the family are seated for their Christmas lunch at 1pm. The adults all settle down to a traditional meal of turkey in the dining room, which is also home to a 30-year-old silver artificial tree.
This picture from the former royal chef Darren McGrady shows that tinsel and crackers are very much on the menu. The table itself is intimate, so the children are required to have their meal in the nursery until they are old enough to join the adults.
When she was alive, the Queen insisted the whole family gather to watch her speech on television after lunch, just like the rest of her loyal subjects up and down the country.
Over nine million people tuned in to watch the Queen's final Christmas broadcast in 2021. But, according to royal expert Jennie Bond writing for the Daily Mail, the King may drop this rather 'archaic' tradition.
While Elizabeth ll recorded her first Christmas message in 1952 over the radio, she made her first live televised Christmas broadcast from the Long Library at Sandringham in 1957.
It was an historic event, not least because this was the first time the public could see and hear the Queen thanks to what she described as the “new medium” of television. Note the sprigs of holly disguising the microphone on the table.
After the speech, the royals were encouraged to join Her Majesty in completing one of her favourite jigsaw puzzles with a cup of afternoon tea and a slice of Christmas cake.
They are also free to explore the rest of Sandringham House, perhaps choosing to take a walk through the breathtaking gardens or participate in a pheasant shoot.
The fun and games don’t stop there: the family stay up well past midnight playing charades and royal protocol insists that no one must retire to bed before the monarch.
It is unknown whether the King insists on this rule or whether the family still watch Flash Gordon! on the insistence of the late Queen, a fun rumour revealed by Brian Blessed (who plays Prince Vultan in the film) in an interview with Yahoo Movies. "It’s her favourite film," he said. "She watches it with her grandchildren every Christmas." Wallace and Gromit is reported to be more up the King's street!
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