The Queen’s Christmas plans
Does everything have to be canceled?
Queen Elizabeth II is looking forward to a very reduced Christmas program.
© imago / ZUMA Press
There are new changes to Queen Elizabeth’s Christmas plans almost every day. The final decision should be made within 48 hours.
It is the first Christmas that Queen Elizabeth II (95) has had to celebrate in 73 years without her husband, Prince Philip (1921-2021), who died in April. But not only this fact casts a shadow over the upcoming holidays. Due to the corona, the queen has to cancel one Christmas event after the other. And there is no end in sight.
As the British newspaper “The Sun” reports, she will make a decision about her remaining Christmas celebrations in the next 48 hours. Several sources believe that she is currently awaiting advice from her senior advisors, who are in regular contact with the government. As the UK’s Omicron numbers continue to surge, the government could impose stricter restrictions that would then also affect royal Christmas plans.
A source told the Mirror: “The Queen and the rest of the family understand that the situation is constantly changing and that many thousands of families could be affected as well.”
What will happen to Christmas in Sandringham?
Actually, the 95-year-old monarch would like to spend her holidays as traditionally as possible with her family at her country estate in Sandringham in Norfolk. On Wednesday, according to the still valid plan, she should be flown to her property by helicopter instead of by train. The family is supposed to come a day later.
And on Saturday there is the traditional Christmas walk for prayer. Typically, thousands of onlookers gather to see the family on their way to worship at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. However, advisors reportedly advised the monarch to close the gates on her private property to prevent the coronavirus from spreading.
The Queen has already canceled these events
Last Thursday, she canceled her annual pre-Christmas family dinner because of the corona numbers. It was planned for tomorrow, Tuesday (December 21st). The decision to cancel the traditional event for up to 50 people at Windsor Castle is said to have been made in view of the family’s Christmas party in Sandringham.
On Friday it became known that Prince Charles (73) and Duchess Camilla (74), Prince William (39) and Duchess Kate (39), Princess Anne (71), Prince Edward (57) and his wife Countess Sophie (56) have decided to cancel all appointments before Christmas – also in order not to endanger the family celebration with the queen.