How does the royal family celebrate Christmas?

The holidays are here, and that means it’s time to gather with friends and family. One thing you might be curious about is how the royal family celebrates Christmas. As you can probably imagine, they do things differently than most of us.

The royal family has followed a set of Christmas traditions over the years. For example, they typically host holiday activities at Sandringham estate. This is where the family relaxes and enjoys each other’s company. Here are a few other traditions the royal family follows each year.

The royal family has a special gift exchange

Gifts are a big part of their festivities. The royal family usually exchanges presents on Christmas Eve. The adults exchange presents during the day, and the children receive gifts at night.

“King Charles and Camilla would arrive near Christmas Eve, and they would all have afternoon tea,” says former royal butler Grant Harrold on behalf of Spin Genie. “It was during the afternoon tea, which shocks a lot of people, when they would do their presents.”

Harrold explains that the gift-giving times for the kids and adults are separate so that the adults have a chance to socialize. He says exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve is part of a long-held tradition.

“Santa would still come for the children that night, but for the adults that was their chance to exchange their Christmas presents with each other,” Harrold continues. “The tradition of having Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve goes back to the German side of the family.”

The royals attend Christmas church services

On Christmas day, the family attends church services. They try to incorporate faith into their holiday celebrations. Harrold says the late Queen Elizabeth made a point of attending a service on Christmas morning.

“Christmas day for the Queen was all about the religious aspect,” says Harrold. “I don’t think some people realize she would go off to church at around 8:00 a.m., which was the first service. There was no press at that point, as it was always a quiet moment for her.”

Harrold says the family would attend a second church service later in the day. Christmas lunch took place after the service.

Everyone gathers for a family lunch

Prior to her death, Queen Elizabeth held an annual Christmas luncheon. Last year, for the first celebration after her death, the luncheon was hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.

“They would have a traditional Christmas lunch with goose, turkey, and obviously all of the trimmings,” says Harrold. “It would be a formal lunch with all the family to get together.”

Will Christmas plans change this year?

There have been rumors that Kate Middleton and Prince William are planning to adjust their Christmas celebration this year. According to news outlets, the prince and princess will host an informal gathering at their home.

According to The Daily Beast, this year’s festivities are going to be “quieter,” mostly due to King Charles’ health and the Princess of Wales’ health. The king and the princess were diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.

However, Harrold says he doesn’t foresee a change of plans. According to him, Christmas will be the same as years before.

 “I don't think it will be any different,” says Harrold. “This year, Christmas will be exactly the same, and there will be no reason for them to change anything. There will be no reason for the king not to go to Sandringham, or the family not to be together.”

Harrold points out that royal plans are made ahead of time, so there shouldn’t be any surprises. It would be unusual for a last-minute change.

“The royal diary is planned many months in advance, so it will all be booked in, the guests will be invited, and the food will be on pre-order,” adds Harrold. “Everything will carry on as normal as far as I'm concerned.”