How and where does the Queen spend Christmas?
Royals

Queen’s Christmas traditions and celebrations at Sandringham

The Monarch doesn't even take it easy on December 25!

Christmas will be very different for the Queen this year, as it will be for the rest of us.

But there are some traditions that have been around for decades and will continue.

the queen blue suit
How and where does the Queen spend Christmas? (Credit: SplashNews)

Where does the Queen celebrate Christmas?

Generally, the Queen is more than occupied as she hosts the rest of the royal family.

The Christmas period is always a busy one for Her Majesty, with the head of the family decamping to her Sandringham estate for her traditional festive escape.

The Queen actually helps dress the Sandringham tree (not this one) herself (Credit: Unsplash)

Royal Christmas traditions

Celebrations starts for the royal family on Christmas Eve, when they all gather to exchange presents.

This is in keeping with their European heritage, as this is when gifts are opened there.

The gifts – thought to be jokey – are laid on trestle tables and given at teatime.

How does the Queen spend Christmas Day?

The Queen and Prince Philip
The Queen dresses in clothes that help her stand out for the Christmas well-wishers (Credit: Splash)

On Christmas Day, the family normally heads to Sandringham’s St Mary Magdalene church for the morning service.

The Queen greets well-wishers who have braved the festive frost to catch a glimpse of the royals.

Her Majesty’s Christmas outfit

Her Majesty’s dresser Angela Kelly revealed in her recent book that the Monarch’s outfit is months in the planning.

I like to make sure the Queen is wearing a festive colour so the well-wishers can see her easily.

She said: “I start to plan well in advance – around two months or so – checking to see what colours the Queen wore in previous years as I don’t want to repeat a colour for a few years.”

She added: “I like to make sure the Queen is wearing a festive colour so the well-wishers can see her easily.”

It’s certainly a job that doesn’t go unnoticed by Her Majesty, as she personally hands out presents to some members of staff at both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle ahead of the big day.

Continuing a tradition from her father George VI, she hands out around 1,500 Christmas puddings to her staff.

Each is accompanied by a greeting card from the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.

The Queen’s Speech

And let’s not forget the all-important Queen’s Speech, which airs at 3pm. This is actually pre-recorded so hopefully she will is able to put her feet up at this point!

Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of our story.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor