How does Queen Elizabeth celebrate Christmas? 10 ways the British royals get into the festive spirit, from Kate Middleton’s family celebrations to Buckingham Palace’s patriotic lightshow
The British royal family’s plans for Christmas Day this year have not been announced, but the queen’s pre-Christmas lunch with family members has been called off.
On December 16, the BBC reported that Queen Elizabeth cancelled her traditional pre-Christmas lunch with family due to the spread of the Omicron variant. The event, which is held at Windsor Castle before the queen travels to Sandringham, also didn’t take place in 2020 due to the coronavirus.
A Buckingham Palace source told Reuters: “While there is regret that it is cancelled, there is a belief it is the right thing to do for all.”
But although that celebration might be cancelled, the royal family has still gotten into the festive spirit in other ways. We took a look at their plans this year – and what they’d typically get up to without the pandemic.
1. Sending out Christmas cards
Before Christmas, members of the royal family send out cards to extended family, friends and British politicians.
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The royal family has been sending out Christmas cards for more than a century. This year, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Christmas card featured a photo from a family trip to Jordan.
2. Celebrating at Sandringham House
Daily Mirror reported in October that the queen is still planning to host Christmas festivities at Sandringham amid the rise of the Omicron variant and her recent health issues, but the palace has yet to confirm any royal Christmas plans.
3. Exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve
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4. Attending church services on Christmas Day
The royal family then attends morning church services at St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham on Christmas Day, a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria. The service lasts 45 minutes.
5. Christmas Day lunch and treats
The royal family then sits down to lunch, which is expected to last exactly 50 minutes.
“After church, that’s when they have a big lunch that includes a salad with shrimp or lobster, and a roasted turkey, and all of your traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert,” Darren McGrady, former chef to the royal family, told Cosmopolitan in 2018.
The queen, who is said to be a chocoholic, reportedly indulges in a chocolate treat for dessert. Her Majesty has also been known to enjoy afternoon tea and a glass of champagne in the evening.
6. Watching the queen’s Christmas speech
After lunch, everyone tunes in to watch the queen’s Christmas speech recorded in advance at Buckingham Palace. In last year’s broadcast, the queen reflected on the coronavirus pandemic, saying it led to challenges but a sense of unity around the UK and globally.
“We continue to be inspired by the kindness of strangers and draw comfort that, even on the darkest nights, there is hope in the new dawn,” she said.
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7. Festive decorations at the palaces
While the royal family cozies up in Sandringham, a festive Union flag is projected on the outside of Buckingham Palace. It’s one of many famous landmarks around the world that gets decked out for the holidays.
The palace is decorated for Christmas with giant trees and objects of significance from the royal family’s history, like a collection of Christmas presents exchanged by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.
8. Gifts to the palace staff
Continuing her grandfather’s tradition, the queen gifts 1,500 Christmas puddings to the palace staff and security forces to thank them for their efforts, according to the royal family’s official website. The Court Post Office and the palace police force receive the sweet treats, too. Each one comes with a note from the monarch.
9. Prince William and Kate Middleton also celebrate with the Middleton family
In the past, Prince William, Kate Middleton and their brood have also spent some Christmas holidays with the Middleton family. If the royal festivities at Sandringham are cancelled this year, the Cambridges could spend Christmas with the Middletons and attend church services at St. Mark’s church in Bucklebury, Berkshire, as they have in previous years.
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Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s good behaviour in church has previously been rewarded with sweets. Prince George enjoyed a candy cane after attending church services on Christmas in 2016.
10. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry haven’t been with the royal family for Christmas since 2018
In 2020, they celebrated Christmas at home in Montecito, California. They haven’t yet announced their plans for this year.
- The British royal family usually spends the winter holidays at Sandringham House – but this year the queen cancelled pre-Christmas lunch due to the Omicron variant
- But Prince Harry and Meghan Markle haven’t been with the royal family since 2018, and Prince Charles even stopped taking Harry’s calls at the end of 2019