A right royal Christmas: how the Queen spends Christmas Day
Whether or not you're a fan of the royal family, you've probably wondered how they spend their Christmas Day. Is it all palaces and grand banquets, or more of an intimate family affair? Wonder no more! We have the answers for you right here.
The guests
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Of course, the Sandringham party revolves around the Queen and Prince Philip, the heart of the royal family. Prince Charles and Camilla, Prince Harry and Princess Anne will all be there too - sometimes Sandringham plays host to up to 29 royals!
This year, Will and Kate will be spending Christmas at Sandringham. Since they married, they have been alternating between having Christmas with the Queen and Kate's family. Although Kate's mum and dad won't be invited to the big royal Christmas dinner, they will wait at Will and Kate's home for their princess daughter to finish celebrating with the Queen.
The location
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The royals usually spend their Christmases at Sandringham House in Norfolk. The nineteenth-century mansion boasts 270 rooms, making it more than big enough to house all the family, guests and staff who will live there over the winter.
When the Christmas tree arrives (a 20ft tall Norwegian spruce) everybody in the family helps to decorate it, but only Prince Philip has the much-envied job of putting the star on top.
The traditions
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On Christmas Eve all the royals arrive and settle in with dinner and drinks. The party can go on quite late and nobody is allowed to go upstairs until the Queen has gone to bed!
Christmas Day proper starts with a trip to church for the 11am service, followed by a long lunch back at Sandringham. When the Queen's speech comes on at 3pm everybody (except the Queen) gathers around the TV to watch, and then the afternoon is free for dog-walking, playing with presents and having a friendly game of charades.
The food
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Before walking to the church, all the guests sit down for a full English breakfast on Christmas morning. This meal begins a very long day for the kitchen staff, who have their work cut out preparing all the festive meals for the Sandringham guests.
Lunch is traditional holiday fare, including Norfolk turkey (probably more than one!) with all the trimmings. The royal chef doesn't get to eat until 4pm, but after that the staff get the rest of the day off, leaving the royals to serve themselves a buffet dinner.
The presents
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It might surprise you to learn that the royals open their Christmas presents on Christmas Eve! This tradition comes from their German ancestry, and also because the Queen regards Christmas Day as a religious festival.
It's not all gold and fine crystal either. Often joke gifts are exchanged, like a white leather loo seat for Prince Charles, or a 'grow your own girlfriend' kit from Kate to Prince Harry. Cheeky!
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Cover image source: Speedfighter