Royal Family celebrates Christmas
Lunch at Windsor Castle
The Royal Family traditionally attends a church service at Sandringham on Christmas Day.
© IMAGO/CoverSpot
Christmas lunch, Christmas Eve in Sandringham, church service: That’s what’s coming up for the Royal Family in the next few days.
The royal Christmas celebrations in Great Britain are in full swing. However, the Windsors don’t just celebrate once, but several times – and in different places. Before it’s the weekend for the holidays after Sandringham goes, have King Charles III. (75) and Queen Camilla (76) invited their family members to the traditional pre-Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
Were there according to the British Daily Mail including Zara Tindall (42) with husband Mike Tindall (45), Princess Eugenie (33) with husband Jack Brooksbank (37), Prince Andrew (63), Peter Phillips (46) and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (40) as well as Prince Michael of Kent (81) and his wife (78). Prince Edward (59) and Duchess Sophie (58) were also photographed arriving with their daughter Lady Louise Windsor (20). Princess Anne (73) was also there with her husband Tim Laurence (68).
According to the British newspaper, the lunch, which traditionally takes place on the Wednesday before Christmas, is one of the rare occasions where numerous distant members of the Royal Family come together. It’s a way for the monarch to celebrate with family members who aren’t at the celebrations in Norfolk. Accordingly, the family sits at round tables at the event, eats turkey and eats Christmas crackers. Prince William (41) and Princess Kate (41) were apparently not at the lunch.
Christmas concert and social engagement
The Prince and Princess of Wales have already created a royal Christmas atmosphere in the past few days: together with their three children Prince George (10), Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5) as well as other family members, the couple visited on December 9th the traditional Christmas concert in Westminster Abbey. Kate sat down at the piano again at the concert and played a version of “Last Christmas.” Five-year-old Prince Louis once again created a funny moment: he blew out his sister Charlotte’s candle.
A few days later, the family visited a nonprofit organization to sort Christmas donations for disadvantaged families and children.
Camilla also used the run-up to Christmas for charity: on December 6th, the Queen invited several seriously ill children to her London residence, Clarence House, to decorate a Christmas tree with them. There was also a visit from Santa Claus with his reindeer and a feast of sausages, mashed potatoes and broccoli.
Christmas holidays at Sandringham
Selected members of the Royal Family traditionally spend the Christmas holidays at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. This also remains the case for the first Christmas after the coronation of King Charles III. so. According to the Daily Mail, Charles and Camilla are celebrating there this year with Prince William, Princess Kate and their three children, Princess Anne and her family, and Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie and their children. For the first time, Camilla’s children and grandchildren will also be invited.
A variety of games, activities and joke gifts are on the program here. In honor of their German ancestors, the family exchanges gifts on Christmas Eve, not on Christmas Day as is usual in Great Britain.
On December 25th, the family will go to the Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate, followed by lunch together. On the evening of Christmas Day, King Charles’ traditional Christmas speech takes place.