Many families share quirky Christmas traditions that can leave new in-laws scratching their heads — but the royal family’s customs could take the crown for being the most eccentric of all.
Despite significant changes in recent years — including the deaths of Queen and Prince Philip, and Prince Harry and Meghan’s relocation to California — the royal family remains steadfast in upholding their cherished traditions.
From joke gifts and weigh-ins to black-tie dinners, here’s what the family gets up to.
Who gets invited to Christmas at Sandringham?
The full Sandringham line-up used to include the Queen, Prince Philip and their four children — Prince Charles as he then was, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne and Prince Edward. Then there were the Queen’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Prince William — and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Extended family, including Andrew, his daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, their husbands and mother, Sarah Ferguson, were also at Sandringham in 2023 and joined the family at church on Christmas Day morning.
However, Andrew will be absent this year — and it’s unclear how his change of plans will impact his close relatives.
King Charles and Queen Camilla traditionally lead the family on a walk to church
Getty Images
What does the royal family do on Christmas Day?
Darren McGrady, a former chef to the Queen, previously revealed to the Mail on Sunday that Christmas Day starts with a hearty fry-up breakfast for the male members of the family downstairs. Meanwhile, most of the married women traditionally opt for something lighter, which is brought to their rooms
The family then walks to St Mary Magdalene church at 11am for the Christmas morning service.
After church, the family sits down to Christmas lunch. Mr McGrady claimed the menu features “salad with shrimp or lobster [followed by] roasted turkey, and all of your traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert”.
Television isn’t part of the royal family’s Christmas Day, except for watching the King’s speech — previously the Queen’s
On Boxing Day, there’s a pheasant shoot. It had previously been reported that the animal-loving Duchess of Sussex had asked Prince Harry to withdraw from this tradition. However, the Telegraph more recently quoted a “well-placed” Kensington Palace source who told the paper this was “completely untrue”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales and their children
PA Media
What do the royal family do about Christmas gifts?
On Christmas Eve, the family lay out their gifts on a trestle table in the dining room. The present-giving was reportedly traditionally presided over by the late Prince Philip.
Cheap and joke gifts are encouraged. Rumoured previous presents include a singing hamster given by Meghan to the Queen, which she reportedly adored; a white leather loo seat given to King Charles by Princess Anne; and a grow-your-own girlfriend kit given by Catherine to Prince Harry.
Our favourite gift story of all is that Prince Harry reportedly once gave the late Queen a shower cap that had “ain’t life a bitch” emblazoned on it.
Reportedly, Princess Diana didn’t initially get the brief about the cheap gift rule and gave the family cashmere sweaters on Christmas Eve in 1981. However, the following year, she gave Sarah Ferguson — Prince Andrew’s then-wife — a leopard print bath mat.
What’s the strangest royal family tradition of all?
Majesty editor Ingrid Seward told Grazia that royal family members are traditionally weighed before and after their Christmas dinner.
She says the weigh-in began with King Edward VII, who wanted to guests his guests ate well. Today, the tradition is reportedly continued on a pair of antique scales.
Take a property tour: the Royal family’s homes and palaces
What’s the dress code for the royal family at Christmas?
On Christmas Eve, there’s a black-tie dress code for dinner, while the ladies wear hats for church on Christmas Day.
For the Boxing Day shoot, it’s a country-casual vibe — think Barbour jackets and plus fours.
Just how many Christmas trees are involved?
For British royalty, Christmas trees really are a family tradition. Queen Charlotte, the German wife of King George III, is believed to have set up the first Christmas tree at Queen’s Lodge in Windsor in 1800, though they became widely popular in Queen Victoria’s reign, after her German husband Prince Albert popularised them in 1848.
There are several lavish Christmas trees at Buckingham Palace (grown on the Queen’s estate in Windsor) as well as a 20-foot tree at Windsor Castle. But at Sandringham, things are a little more laid back – the Queen was said to have liked having a single tree put up which the children were encouraged to decorate on Christmas Eve.
