The Royal Christmas: 2008, Present and Future

[muriel]

Just thought it would be useful to hear what everybody thought would be the key changes to the royal christmas routine once Charles succeeds to the throbe. Also, would be interesting to get peoples views on changes on who might be invited to the royal christmas. Camilla's children will almost certainly be invited.

[jcbcode99]

I like to think of Charles as a traditional sort of man--his brothers and sister and their children have always spent Christmas together, I think they would probably try to continue to do so. And yes, I do believe Camilla's children would be invited as well.

[Rebafan81]

Great Thread
I also like to think it will be more open, if the boys aren't married by then, to bring along some friends. I don't think it will be as stuffy traditional when Charles is King. I think it will be less royal and more family.
I would like to think that Camilla family will be invited, even her siblings.

[angela]

I can't see Bearice and Eugenie spending Christmas with Charles over their mother. They make the sacrifice of not seeing Sarah on Cristmas Day for the sake of their Grandmother at the present time but I can't see them doing it for their Uncle and I doubt that Charles would care what they did as they don't seem at all close.

[Bella]

I agree it won't be as traditional and formal. I think people (like the York girls) will feel less obligated to be there and just might enjoy the holiday w other members of the family or in-laws. Same for Princess Anne and her family. I think it'll get much smaller once Wm and Harry start having children. Probably Chas. and Camilla, Wm and his family, Harry and his family, Camilla's children and their families. Maybe Prince Andrew (esp. if he's still single) and maybe The Wessexes. I can't see the Chattos or the Linleys going evey year.

[BeatrixFan]

I don't think it will change very much. I'd expect Princess Alexandra to always get an invite. Not only is she widowed now but she's always been close to Camilla so it makes sense that Alexandra would always be a permanent fixture.

[muriel]

Originally Posted by BeatrixFan

I don't think it will change very much. I'd expect Princess Alexandra to always get an invite. Not only is she widowed now but she's always been close to Camilla so it makes sense that Alexandra would always be a permanent fixture.

I agree with you,m BeatrixFan alexandra will continue to be invited because of her closeness to Camilla

[scooter]

Originally Posted by muriel

Just thought it would be useful to hear what everybody thought would be the key changes to the royal christmas routine once Charles succeeds to the throbe. Also, would be interesting to get peoples views on changes on who might be invited to the royal christmas. Camilla's children will almost certainly be invited.

Wait! Are you saying her children and grandchildren have not been invited to Christmas since C and C married?! Wow! That would not be very nice. What ever transpired in the past, they are now part of the family. It would be rude not to invite Camilla's family, IMO. Why would they not be invited?

[wymanda]

Originally Posted by scooter

Wait! Are you saying her children and grandchildren have not been invited to Christmas since C and C married?! Wow! That would not be very nice. What ever transpired in the past, they are now part of the family. It would be rude not to invite Camilla's family, IMO. Why would they not be invited?

From what I've read Camilla has spent Christmas night and Boxing day with her children. Given the fact that she now has two granddaughters Tom & Laura may well be invited to join the festivities in coming years. Having said that, their respective spouses also have families with whom they would want to spend time and who would want to see the little girls at Christmas.

[BellaFay]

Originally Posted by scooter

Wait! Are you saying her children and grandchildren have not been invited to Christmas since C and C married?! Wow! That would not be very nice. What ever transpired in the past, they are now part of the family. It would be rude not to invite Camilla's family, IMO. Why would they not be invited?

The Queen could easily have invited Camilla's children and grandchildren to stay on the estate at Sandringham, as she has done with the divorced Duchess of York and with the widower father of the Countess of Wessex, but she chooses not to, which is why Camilla always disappears to Gloucestershire on Boxing Day.

[KingCharles]

I thought this thread was more going to be about the Christmas Broadcast.
An idea I think would be good for this broadcast would be to involve all the members of the Royal family but with the King, obviously, being centre-stage, but having a more dynamic role in this broadcast so as to touch on everybody's interests.

[iowabelle]

Perhaps Camilla's children feel they couldn't truly enjoy Christmas if they had to obey royal protocol, instead of having a nice little family Christmas. After all, Christmas is about family, and your children are the stars. You'd especially want the little ones to feel free to enjoy themselves, rather than having to sit neatly with their hands on their laps and NOT TOUCHING ANYTHING.

[serenissima]

Originally Posted by iowabelle

Perhaps Camilla's children feel they couldn't truly enjoy Christmas if they had to obey royal protocol, instead of having a nice little family Christmas. After all, Christmas is about family, and your children are the stars. You'd especially want the little ones to feel free to enjoy themselves, rather than having to sit neatly with their hands on their laps and NOT TOUCHING ANYTHING.

Maybe, the Prince of Wales (or then the HM the King) and HRH the Princess Consort will spend their Christmas Day at the Sandringham House with the immediate members of the Royal Family. The Princess Consort's children will probably spend their Chrsitmas with their own spouses & children (the grandchildren of the Princess Consort) and maybe with Mr Parker Bowles.

[MARG]

Originally Posted by iowabelle

. . .. . After all, Christmas is about family, and your children are the stars. You'd especially want the little ones to feel free to enjoy themselves, rather than having to sit neatly with their hands on their laps and NOT TOUCHING ANYTHING.

I remember one of the royal documentaries where andrew related how they used to race their peddle cars down the halls with more than a few "collisions with walls, furniture, etc. Seeing all the priceless furniture with artworks on top made me wince, and then I laughed. Contrary to popular belief, they seem to have had a pretty "normal" childhood.

Originally Posted by muriel

I think the York girls would continue to attend, . . . . . . don't think the girls are particularly close to Will and Harry.

I was enchanted by the family dynamics at Peter's wedding. All the cousins seemed to be in cahoots and up to all sorts of "family" mischief. Harry was snapped whispering to one of the girls on the steps of the church after the wedding. One of the York girls did a reading in the service and many commented on this forum that they hadn't realised the families were "that" close! Similarly, Beatrice and Eugenie both frequent the same social cirlces and nightclubs as the Wales.

I have a feeling that Christmas's could change dramatically in the near future. With the world (according to US econonomists) heading into an even worse depression than the last "Great Depression", I have a feeling that jetting to the Bahama's, Africa, or even the Ski fields of Europe, would not be received very well by the public at large. That being the case, we could see a larger, "family" oriented Christmas making it's debut in the very near future.

[Princess B]

i doubt much will change

charles seems to be very tradionalist....

[serenissima]

Oh, apparently, they eat the Prince of Wales' Duchy Originals organic turkey for their Christmas dinner. Oh dear ! I wonder if they have to eat his organic Christmas pudding, too ? His Christmas pudding is lovely but I still prefer my own, I must say.

[Elspeth]

Maybe you should send him one...

[muriel]

Query whether the venue for the royal christmas celebrations would shift from Sandringham to Windsor, or even Balmoral?

[georgiea]

Originally Posted by muriel

Query whether the venue for the royal christmas celebrations would shift from Sandringham to Windsor, or even Balmoral?

Balmoral, I think, and traditional, less formality with organic foods. I think already this year Prince Charles and the Duchess are in Scotland on the weekends.

The Duchess of Cornwall's children and grandchildren will be invited to the royal Christmas. I think Prince Charles with let his sons spend time with their in-laws. What I mean a year with him and then a year with the in-laws.

[BellaFay]

Originally Posted by muriel

Query whether the venue for the royal christmas celebrations would shift from Sandringham to Windsor, or even Balmoral?

Until about the late 1980s the royal christmas was always celebrated at Windsor and only New Year was celebrated at Sandringham, but for some reason I can't remember it was moved one year and they never returned to Windsor.