This Christmas, King Charles and Queen Camilla will host a larger than usual gathering as they will be joined by more than 40 members of the Royal Family at Sandringham.
Dozens of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales along with their children, will head to Norfolk on December 25, where they will enjoy quality time and take part in the annual royal Christmas festivities, including the pre-recorded speech by the King in the living room. in Sandringham, a room that plays a vital role in family parties.
While the royals have their own special way of celebrating the holiday, the core traditions have remained largely unchanged since the days of Queen Elizabeth II.
King Charles may have added his own touches since taking the throne, but the basics—busy schedules, festive meals, and plenty of family time—are business as usual.
For many key members of the Firm, actual Christmas celebrations are on a precise 72-hour schedule that leaves little room for relaxation.
According to actual author Robert Jobson, as revealed to OK!: ‘The calendar still exists and is really quite exhausting. One moment you’re doing one thing, then you have to change for drinks and then change again for dinner.
But amid their busy schedules, the royals still find time for the things they cherish most, like Christmas Eve gifts and the famous walk to church on Christmas Day, which is the only part of their festivities they share with the public. .
On Christmas Day, the family sits down to a traditional dinner at 1:00 pm, complete with crackers, corny jokes (enthusiastically encouraged by the late Queen Elizabeth), and lots of laughter.
This year, King Charles and Queen Camilla will host a larger-than-usual gathering this Christmas, as they will be joined by more than 40 members of the Royal Family (pictured: the Sandringham drawing room).
Dozens of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales along with their children, will head to Norfolk on December 25, where they will enjoy quality time and take part in the annual royal Christmas festivities (file image)
Once the meal is over, it’s time to head to one of Sandringham’s most opulent and distinguished spaces: the drawing room.
This impressive double-height room is where each member of the Royal Family gathers after dinner, as well as enjoying afternoon tea on Christmas Eve.
With its wood paneling, chandeliers and the original Minstrel gallery, which once hosted a live band when the room was used as a ballroom, the hall is a space full of history and character.
The impressive drawing room, located at the entrance of this 19th-century house, spans two floors and is complete with a wooden dining table, detailed tapestries, cream sofas and a piano, topped with photographs.
It is poignant that the room also contains a large painting of the late Queen; while royalty remembers the monarch on a day dedicated to family.
According to Jobson, the vast space is where royalty gather to relax, drink Veuve Clicquot champagne and enjoy each other’s company.
At 3:00 pm, it’s show time; as all eyes turn to the television to watch King Charles’ pre-recorded Christmas Day speech, as is tradition.
Jobson explained: “They retire there to watch the King’s pre-recorded Christmas message at 3pm, all standing for the National Anthem.”
For the royals, this speech is as much a part of the day as the dinner itself, and it is in this warm and elegant room that they take a moment to reflect on the year and their role within the United Kingdom.
This impressive double-height room is where each member of the Royal Family gathers after dinner to watch the King’s speech on Christmas Day.
The impressive drawing room, located at the entrance of this 19th-century house, spans two floors and is complete with a wooden dining table, detailed tapestries, cream sofas and a piano, topped with photographs.
At 3:00 pm, it’s show time; as all eyes turn to the television to watch King Charles’ pre-recorded Christmas Day speech, as is tradition (file image)
The lounge, which opens onto the large entrance hall, has always been a gathering place for the family, whether watching television, playing games or enjoying afternoon tea.
Weather permitting, Jobson revealed they could even take a walk around the grounds of Sandringham and enjoy the tranquil surroundings.
In this cozy yet grand atmosphere, King Charles and up to 45 members of the Royal Family will spend Christmas afternoon together, continuing a tradition that has been passed down from generation to generation.
As King Charles celebrates the “biggest ever” family Christmas at Sandringham, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson prepare to spend a very lonely day 130 miles away in Windsor.
The embattled duke has agreed to skip the annual Christmas festivities at the Norfolk estate and the King’s pre-Christmas lunch in London after advice from his loyal ex-wife as controversy grows over his links to a “Chinese spy”.
Meanwhile, Princess Beatrice, who is currently expecting her second child with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, has joined the festivities at Sandringham, after her initial plans were scrapped on medical advice.
The Princess of York, 36, was due to fly to Italy to celebrate the festive period with her husband’s parents, 40, at their 18th-century Italian mansion.
However, Buckingham Palace revealed last weekend that the late Queen’s granddaughter changed her holiday plans following medical advice that she should not travel “long distances”.
On October 1, the Palace announced that Princess Beatrice was expecting the baby “in early spring.” She is now in the third trimester of her pregnancy, which begins at 28 weeks.