British Royal Christmas 1: 2008-2021


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Thank you, Alex. Once again you are so informative. The shooting party reminds me of the scene in "Downton Abbey" when the horses all arrive outside the grand house and the Earl and Countess of Grantham are greeting them. I do love a period drama or two!

And some of Diarist's descriptions also remind me of house party scenes straight out of Agatha Christie (minus the murders ;)) or Rosamunde Pilcher. A throwback to an elegant and bygone age.
 
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this year wills and kate will have his own christmas card? the last time I saw a christmas card with william and arry was in 2005, with a photo from charles's wedding
 
A very interesting article about Christmas at Sandringham. I really get a kick out of the fact that Her Majesty can do impressions of various politicians from around the world. Would love to hear her imitation of some of US presidents, and maybe even Boris Yeltsin.

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | Express Yourself :: Kate's toughest challenge yet

Thanks for the article, that is an interesting rundown of events for the royal Christmas. I'm exhausted already thinking of the vast clothing changes and the amount of walking I'd have to do all over the estate to exercise off those meals! ;) And I had always heard the Queen was an excellent mimic and always left her family in stitches over her dead-on impressions of various and sundry people. Oh, to be a fly on that wall! :ROFLMAO:
 
Oh, what I would give for an invisibility cloak and a digital voice recorder! It'd be a very interesting Christmas to be sure (as long as my presence is not discovered, 'cause then there will be all kinds of issues :lol:). On a serious note though, the socializing and changing of attire is what would do me in. What I actually like is the detailed rundown of events, and their locations. I'm a planner, and need to know what is happening, as well as when and where, and preferably in advance. Walking would be great, since I love to walk, and I bet a walk would be one's only chance for some quiet time.
 
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........Thanks for the article, that is an interesting rundown of events for the royal Christmas. I'm exhausted already thinking of the vast clothing changes ............ :ROFLMAO:



Baroness, don't forget that all the clothes changing is quite easy for members of the Royal Family [plus royal relatives] because they are all attended by Ladies' maids [dressers to the BRF] and valets. Some of these will be staff employed by the Queen, some will be the particular Royal's own staff.

Catherine appears not to have had the services of her own dresser to date [if we can believe all that we read] but I imagine that she will need the services of a dresser for Sandringham.

Just in case anyone here is interested, we do not have our own personal staff, but on those occasions when I have stayed in large houses, the host's staff have always attended on us - first they unpack for you, then they whisk off any clothes that need pressing after the journey, then they lay out your outfits on your bed and then they help with the actual dressing [note: no valet sees me [female] being dressed, and no lady's maid sees my husband in a state of undress.] Incidentally, you are required to tip the host's staff generously when you leave [quite right too - it has been a lot of extra work for them]

[second note: if anyone here is intending to be invited to the Queen's house party for Royal Ascot(!), a lady I know who has been just such a guest tells me that it is a bit of a nightmare getting dressed and ready on time: reputedly, back at Windsor Castle after racing, the Queen keeps you glued to the tv screen , as she wants to watch the re-runs on her DVD player. When the Queen decides that enough is enough, she return to her rooms [very close nearby] for a bath [that has already been run for her] and her Dresser then helps her into her evening dress. Guests however find themselves staying in rooms some distance away from those of the Royal Family, and apparently sit uneasily through the racing re-runs, fervently wishing that the Queen would come under starter's orders and ajourn because time is becoming short as they [guests] need as long as possible to get changed for drinks and dinner: when eventually the Queen moves, every non-royal has to RACE along to their rooms, run their own baths and mostly get ready themselves [overstretched maids/valets as EVERYONE needs to be attended-to at the same time], and then guests have to RACE back in order to beat the queen to pre-dinner drinks, as it is quite improper to arrive after her....]

Hope some of this is of interest.

Alex
 
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Thanks Diarist for your post. It made me antsy just reading it! :ohmy: I kept thinking of the white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, "I'm late, I'm late..."!!
 
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Whew! That's a whirlwind of activity (and is probably more taxing for the staff than the guests/royals), but I know that I personally would be stressing out over being late, and get myself in a state of anxiety. Catherine of course has good poise and composure, and having been to Balmoral probably has an inkling of what will be expected. Plus with William and other family members to guide her, she'll do just fine.
 
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A very interesting article about Christmas at Sandringham. I really get a kick out of the fact that Her Majesty can do impressions of various politicians from around the world. Would love to hear her imitation of some of US presidents, and maybe even Boris Yeltsin.

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | Express Yourself :: Kate's toughest challenge yet

The article was very interesting to read,thanks for sharing!
This seems like a great idea because most people I know can buy everything they want and it´s challenging to find good christmas presents every year: Shrieks of laughter echo through the corridors as the royals give each other joke presents worth just a few pounds.
An ex-servant said: “When you already have everything expensive gifts don’t mean much so they prefer something which makes them laugh or a practical gadget.”
 
Thanks for the info, Diarist. LOL, something tells me I would need one of those racing stopwatches counting down the seconds for these various changes to make sure I'm at the next event on time! I'm being facetious, of course, but as a newbie royal, making sure you're present in a room before the Queen would certainly add to one's jitters and anxiety during this stay. But I'm sure Kate will handle it with her usual aplomb.
 
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And I thought my Christmas Day was exhausting. Clearly I have it easy! I only wear one outfit and it's hard enough! I had no idea how regimented Christmas was for the family, though I was aware that they opened presents on Christmas Eve. I did think that perhaps they had changed that tradition, but I guess not. What I do wonder is did the younger generation not believe in Santa Claus? Surely they must have found it confusing that they opened presents on Christmas Eve when the tale tells them Santa delivers presents on that day. Perhaps, however, that as the Queen is very religious, pursuing the belief of Santa Claus is frowned upon.

Christmas dinner in 90 minutes? Record! I do remember during the documentary Royal Family at Work, a guest who was invited to a banquet did say that the Royal family were all fast easters. They are well trained. I would pay money to watch the family play charades, seeing them all shouting out the answers. I would love to know what the teams are (couples, men, women etc.) Hilarious.

What did stir me was this, "It’s the same every year and Kate will have to learn to love it as it’s unlikely she will spend Christmas at her own family’s home ever again." That, although very sad, is also very true. The Royal wives and husbands spend the entire Christmas weekend at Sandringham, never spending Christmas day with their other family again. I know family members are invited on Boxing Day as we've seen Sophie's father regularly at Sandringham, and she was invited on Boxing Day before her marriage, but it must be odd to know that Christmas day is with the Queen every year.
 
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When Charles becomes King, he could invite the Middletons & Camilla's family to Christmas especially when Will & Kate start having kids. His siblings may want spend Christmas at their own homes as their children get married and start having kids. (Like the Kents & Gloucesters do now).


Does Charles like Sandringham ? It seems he like Scotland better. Christmas at Balmoral perhaps?


William can invite who he wants when he is King.
 
When Charles becomes King, he could invite the Middletons & Camilla's family to Christmas especially when Will & Kate start having kids. His siblings may want spend Christmas at their own homes as their children get married and start having kids. (Like the Kents & Gloucesters do now).

The Kents and Gloucesters not spending Christmas with the Royal Family is a fairly recent thing.

Margaret and her family always spent Christmas with the Royal Family.
 
I am going to offend a lot of british people I am afraid but reading about royal christmas really gives me a shiver.. actually english christmas does. I have lived in England, now already 15 years ago. And honestly I do have a soft spot for Britain and the british people but living there took me of Christmas for ever.
The burden for people to buy presents for just about everyone. Some students I met there had to borrow money and by the time they paid their debts it was christmas again!!!
A lot of people are so lonely at christmas and the real thougth of christmas is not santaclaus, stuffing your self with food and getting lots of presents you don't even need, is it?
In the Netherlands it is getting worse and worse but it is still more moderate than in Britain. We have Sinterklaas at the 5th of december. We usually give presents to our children and buy one or two presents for one adult. ( we choose beforehand who to buy a present for).
I realise I am "preaching" now .... anyway after christmas I will visit Britain again and enjoy the people and the beautiful scenery of the British countryside.
 
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Sorry but it's not just In the UK where presents are bought. There is no obligation to buy presents you cannot afford. People do what they like.
 
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Sorry but it's not just In the UK where presents are bought. There is no obligation to buy presents you cannot afford. People do what they like.

Agreed. I rather appreciate the Royal Family's tradition of exchanging small, useful or joke gifts that don't cost much. Most of the time, I try to get those sort of gifts for my family and now my brothers and I don't even exchange gifts with each other because of the cost. I am sending cards though!
 
Oh I know that in lots of other countries presents are bought. But I can only compare the Netherlands and Britain. I don't like the christmas period: not in Holland and certainly not in England. Honestly it is far more over the top in Britain and away from the original christmas idea.
But this is very off topic.
One other thing, I find it strange that as soon you are a member of the royal family you are stuck with them during the christmas. It again sounds like a lot of pressure and I don't think this is what Christmas ought to be.
 
Thanks for the article. The photos certainly do showcase the evolving dynamics of the RF through the years. The holidays always seem to shine a spotlight on family relationships, whether royal or commoner, happy or bittersweet.
 
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What an adorable choice of Christmas card. I did love the images of Charles holding Eliza to allow her to see the crowds from the balcony. It was so grandfatherly.

Will we see everyone elses Christmas cards? Seeing all the previous Christmas cards from the Queen was lovely, especially the one with her eldest grandchildren. Delightful.
 
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I find it strange that as soon you are a member of the royal family you are stuck with them during the christmas. It again sounds like a lot of pressure and I don't think this is what Christmas ought to be.

Maybe this is the only time of the year the Queen can get to see her family all gather together, although I have to admit the rigid routine and living by a gong would probably be more than I could take! :D But I suppose HM figures she may not have too many Christmases left, either, so the family time might be more paramount now.
 
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A royal Christmas at sandringham sounds nice and is it only her children and grandchildren? Plus or excluding Peter and zara? So no kents or ogilvys....?
 
Grandduchess24 said:
A royal Christmas at sandringham sounds nice and is it only her children and grandchildren? Plus or excluding Peter and zara? So no kents or ogilvys....?

Definitely Peter and Zara will have been invited...no Kents, Gloucesters, or Ogilvys....but I believe the Linleys and Chattos are invited, too.
 
Have we heard when the greater family celebration will be. I know it's usually a lunch the week or so prior to Christmas.
 
we will see th cristmas card of edward and sophie this year?
 
Definitely Peter and Zara will have been invited...no Kents, Gloucesters, or Ogilvys....but I believe the Linleys and Chattos are invited, too.

Don't quote me on this, but I remember reading somewhere that Linleys and Chattos come for Christmas and Sandringham every other year. They were not there last year, so we may very well see them this Christmas.
 
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