How the royals celebrate Christmas
Each year, the royal family celebrates Christmas at Sandringham House, enjoying a carefully scheduled array of festive traditions.
But royal Christmases were not always spent at the Queen’s private estate in Norfolk.
In the 1960s, when the monarch’s youngest children were small and in the years that followed, many Christmases were celebrated at Windsor Castle.
St George’s Chapel – where Harry and Meghan wed in 2018 – was where the royals often gathered for a Christmas Day service.
As the Queen is head of the Church of England, the Christmas Day church service is a key part of royal celebrations.
Back at the house, lunch is prepared by staff and served at 1pm. The menu includes a giant turkey reared at Sandringham.
Among the table decorations will be a sprig from the Holy Thorn tree in Glastonbury.
Each year at Christmas, the Queen receives a cutting from the garden of the church of St John the Baptist in Glastonbury, a tradition dating back to the Reformation.
Legend has it the thorn tree, which unusually blooms at both Easter and Christmas, is linked to Joseph of Arimathea and the arrival of Christianity in Britain.
The Queen receiving the Holy Thorn on behalf of the people of Glastonbury at Buckingham Palace in 1999 (Fiona Hanson/PA)
After lunch, the royals settle down to watch the Queen’s Christmas Speech.
The Queen sometimes quietly leaves the room and lets her family watch the national address by themselves, viewing it alone to see how it comes across.
Boxing Day, when the royals enjoy a breakfast buffet of kedgeree, bacon and eggs, often involves outdoor pursuits such as shooting, riding and walking.
The Queen´s Christmas broadcast in 2018 (John Stillwell/PA)
Other royal Christmas traditions include presents for staff, with all members of the Royal Household receiving a gift from the Queen.
The sovereign personally hands out presents to some staff at Buckingham Palace and at Windsor Castle.
A Christmas tree in Windsor Castle (Steve Parsons/PA)
Continuing the tradition from her father, King George VI and her grandfather, George V, the monarch also gives some 1,500 Christmas puddings to her servants.
The Queen donates money to several charities in Windsor each year, and gives Christmas trees to Westminster Abbey and St Paul’s Cathedral in London, St Giles’ Cathedral and the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, and churches and schools in the Sandringham area.
Each year, the Queen and Philip send around 750 Christmas cards, which usually feature a family photo.
