Even though we imagine Christmas at Buckingham Palace would be perfect (and indeed very fancy), the royal family don't actually spend their Christmas there. Instead, they retreat to their beloved Sandringham, the royals' country estate in Norfolk.
“William, Kate and their tribe will definitely divide the Christmas holiday between the Middletons and the royal family at Sandringham, something they've done for years,” says Andersen.
The service, hosted by Kate, has become an annual tradition to honor various charities and volunteers. William and Kate and their children typically spend the Christmas break at their country home, Anmer Hall, which is located near the Sandringham Estate, in Norfolk.
Multiple sources told Us Weekly in the days leading up to Christmas that Meghan and Harry will be spending their Christmas in Montecito, California, with their kids Archie and Lilibet, Meghan's mother Daria Ragland, and their friends, rather than flying over to the U.K. to be part of the royals' festivities.
Royal Family Gather for Christmas Day Service at Sandringham
Will Harry and Meghan spend Christmas with King Charles?
Despite rumors that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hope to travel to the UK for the holidays, Vanity Fair has learned they will not be coming to England to join King Charles and the royal family for the festive season.
Where did Harry spend Christmas in Half Blood Prince?
Harry, Ron, and Ginny went to the Burrow during the Christmas holidays of 1996. Hermione, who was having a terrible row with Ron at the time, spent the holidays with her family. Bill Weasley, his fiancée Fleur Delacour, and Remus Lupin also stayed over for the holidays.
The King and Queen have attended a Christmas Day church service in Sandringham alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales and other royals. Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were seen arriving at St Mary Magdalene Church.
The Royal Family traditionally spends Christmas and New Year at Sandringham House. The Queen's country estate in Norfolk. During the sixties, when Her Majesty's children were small, many Christmases were celebrated at Windsor Castle, where The Royal Family spends Easter.
King Charles and Queen Camilla are spending Christmas with family. The monarch, 75, and his wife, 76, lead the royal family during their annual walk to church on Christmas Day. Each year, they attend the service at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Norfolk, near the royal residence of Sandringham.
Kate Middleton and Prince William always eat separately on Christmas Day due to a long-standing royal tradition. Members of the Royal Family traditionally meet up on December 25 for a festive lunch at Sandringham House but prior to that they eat breakfast separately.
They would then spend the rest of Boxing Day enjoying a range of outdoor pursuits, such as shooting, riding and walking around the vast estate. The family traditionally takes part in a pheasant shoot as well as horse riding, followed by an annual lunch of cold cuts and salads.
Like many families around the world, the British royals have their own unique set of Christmas customs. Every December the Windsors make an annual trip to the Sandringham Estate, where they celebrate the holidays. They play pick-up games of charades and football—and have black-tie dinners, naturally.
What do the royal family eat for Christmas dinner?
Enough turkeys are roasted on Christmas Day so the staff at Sandringham can enjoy a full Christmas dinner too if they happen to be working that day. Just some of the items on the royal Christmas table include “homemade sage and onion stuffing, Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts, sometimes parsnips and carrots…
Until recently, Queen Elizabeth II spent part of every year at Sandringham, typically from December to February. Prince Philip, before his passing in 2021, was also known to use it as a retreat, as well as the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children who have a home on estate at Anmer.
The 20,000 acre (8,100 ha) Sandringham estate has some of the finest shoots in England, and is used for royal shooting parties. Covering seven villages, the estate's other main activities, aside from tourism, are arable crops and forestry.
Featured in last year's film "Spencer," this quirky tradition involves the royal members getting weighed before and after their sumptuous Christmas dinner. Although it may seem eccentric, reports suggest that this practice has been a staple in the royal household for decades.
What did Princess Margaret give Prince Harry for Christmas?
According to Daily Mail, Prince Harry explained that their relationship was very surface-level, and he didn't connect with her on a personal level. The royal even recalled a unique gift that he received from Princess Margaret during the holidays: a biro pen with a rubber fish on it.
The tradition is said to have started in the early 1990s and the point of it was to see how much everyone enjoyed their food and to make sure guests had eaten enough.
In a major break in Christmas tradition, senior members of the Royal Family will be joined by Camilla's children, grandchildren and sister at Sandringham House in Norfolk for the festive celebrations.
King Charles' niece, 33, joined members of the royal family at Sandringham on Monday for their annual church outing on Christmas day at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, are regulars at the royal holiday gathering.
Why did Harry refuse to support minister Scrimgeour?
Scrimgeour asks Harry to stand alongside the Ministry and give the Wizarding community the illusion that they're working together, but Harry refuses, explaining that he disagrees with the Ministry's methods. Scrimgeour accuses Harry of being Dumbledore's man, and Harry readily agrees with this characterization.
Harry and Ron take Slughorn's advanced potions class. Harry finds a tattered potions textbook bearing the inscription, 'The Half-Blood Prince. ' The book contains tips, as well as new spells, scribbled in the book margins that yield better results than the printed instructions.
