How does The Queen celebrate Christmas? 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.
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.
“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.
They don't go to Balmoral for Christmas. In the Queen's time, they went to Sandringham in Norfolk for Christmas, and carried the tradition on for the first Christmas without her.
The King has continued the tradition established by his mother Queen Elizabeth II of hosting members of the Royal Family at Sandringham House for Christmas.
It had been reported that King Charles III will not take up residence at Balmoral Castle while he is on the estate, but rather will continue to stay at Birkhall during the Balmoral holidays. In fact though, King Charles and Queen Camilla did reside at Balmoral in the summer of 2023.
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.
Britain's King Charles III (L) and Britain's Queen Camilla (R) – all smiles – arrive for the Royal Family's traditional Christmas Day service. Prince George of Wales, Mia Tindall and Princess Charlotte of Wales attends the Christmas Morning Service at Sandringham Church on December 25, 2023 in Sandringham, Norfolk.
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.
A Royal Weigh-In: Unconventional Tradition's Origins
The underlying purpose was to gauge the guests' enjoyment of the festive feast and ensure that everyone had indulged to their heart's content. If the guests had gained a few pounds, it was considered a testament to the culinary delights of the Christmas spread.
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.
Lunch consists of a typical feast: roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry, multiple bread sauces, and Christmas pudding. The food is reminiscent of what the US considers a Thanksgiving dinner. “They're actually boring when it comes to festivities,” McGrady admitted.
Yes, Buckingham Palace is open during December to visitors, except for closures on certain days. It is closed on 24, 25 and 26 December. What can I see in Buckingham Palace during Christmas? During Christmas, explore Buckingham Palace's opulent State Rooms adorned with lavish decorations and intricate ornaments.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spent their fifth Christmas in a row away from King Charles, after having a glitzy holiday in Costa Rica. Insiders have claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent Christmas at their Montecito estate in California with their two children, after returning from holiday.
Instead, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will reportedly spend the holidays with their children – Prince Archie, four, and Princess Lilibet, two – at their mansion in Montecito, California, where the family currently resides.
This will be the second year with King Charles heading up the family's new year celebrations following the death of the Queen in September 2022. The occasion is marked at Sandringham House with the family leaving Buckingham Palace for the Norfolk estate just before Christmas.
Elizabeth II inherited the Balmoral estate from her father, and then after her death, ownership passed to her eldest son King Charles III, but the estate is managed by trustees under Deeds of Nomination and Appointment.
Does King Charles and Camilla live in the same house?
Clarence House has been home to King Charles III and Camilla the Queen consort for almost 20 years. The pair moved in during 2003 and will continue to call it home until renovation works at Buckingham Palace are completed.
Who owns it? Though official royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are owned by the Crown Estate, which is funded by British taxpayers, Balmoral is the personal property of King Charles III, as is Sandringham, located in Norfolk, England.
