Duties, traditions and fun – how the Royal Family celebrate the festive season
WORDS: CLAIRE SAUL
December Duties
December is a busy month for the Royal Family, who will still be conducting state duties and attending events relating to patronages in addition to public seasonal celebrations and family activities. Around his regular duties, during one mid-December week last year, King Charles visited organisations in Herefordshire, Harrow and north London, met the Sultan of Brunei at Windsor Castle, hosted an investiture, visited the Palace of Westminster and attended the Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey.
Since 2007, Queen Camilla has hosted a party for terminally ill children and their families at Clarence House. She helps plan it all, from food and treats to activities. A soldier in ceremonial uniform is present and everyone helps dress a Christmas tree. She has said it is “one of the most special things we do all year. I wouldn’t miss it.”
The extended Royal Family gather for a Christmas lunch before the senior royals and their families depart for Sandringham in Norfolk. The family usually dine in the Bow Room at Buckingham Palace and the children eat in a separate room but last year, Charles chose to host the event at Windsor Castle instead.
Majestic Mail Out
The public reveal of the royals’ Christmas cards is eagerly anticipated, sometimes affording candid images of the family members and peeks at the junior royals, who are seen less often.
It is thought that King Charles and Queen Camilla dispatched more than 700 cards last year to family, friends, members of the royal household, organisations and patronages associated with them, British and Commonwealth officials and international leaders. Their chosen image showed the couple at the Braemar Royal Games, while that sent by the Prince and Princess of Wales showed them at Sandringham with their young family.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s card paid tribute to Edward’s parents, showing an image of him with Sophie and his mother, taken at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Inside was a favourite photograph that Sophie had taken of the late queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Scottish Highlands.
Royal staff also traditionally receive a Christmas pudding from the monarch, a tradition originating with King Charles’ great-grandfather, King George V. Followi
