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Queen’s Christmas 2020: A different celebration with Prince Edward and Sophie

Will the 94-year-old be going to church as per tradition?

Christmas is set to be a very different affair for everyone in 2020, and the Royal Family is no different – so who will the Queen be with this Christmas Day and will she be going to church?

Here’s everything we know about how our monarch will be spending the festive period.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn't feature in The Queen's speech
The Queen will be spending time with her nearest and dearest (Credit: BBC)

Read more: Royal Family have ‘difficult’ decade ahead warns expert after three key royals step down

How will Christmas 2020 be different for the Queen?

First of all, the Queen is usually surrounded by dozens of staff at Christmas.

She has a myriad of Christmas traditions which she upholds every year.

Due to coronavirus, the festive celebrations will be more muted this year.

Also, Harry and Meghan will not be present at Sandringham after a difficult year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who are grieving the loss of their second child after a miscarriage, are thousands of miles away in the US.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have a large family of four children and eight grandchildren, along with eight great-grandchildren.

As a result of coronavirus, the family will not all be able to congregate indoors this year.

Who will the Queen be with on Christmas Day?

The Queen has reportedly chosen the two households that will form part of her ‘bubble’ over the Christmas period.

Rules set out by the Government will allow a maximum of three households to get together over the festive period.

It’s been said that Her Majesty and husband Philip will stick to the new guidelines just like everyone else.

In a move that may surprise some people, she has reportedly selected her youngest son.

Prince Edward and his wife Sophie are set to join her on the big day, say reports.

The Queen, 94, and her husband Prince Philip, 99, usually spend Christmas with a large number of family members at their home in Sandringham, Norfolk.

However, that won’t be able to happen this year due to the government’s three-household rule.

Writing for the Mail Online, Richard Eden said: “The Queen will set a good example and abide by the rules.

“Prince Edward and his family will be one of the two in her bubble.”

If the claims are true, that means Her Majesty will be joined by Edward, Sophie and their two children, Louise, 17, and James, 12.

It has not been confirmed whether Prince Charles, the Queen’s oldest son, will join her.

Her ‘genius’ solution means that she’ll be able to see more members of the Royal Family on a Boxing Day hunt.

Shoots can legally take place as they are classified as organised outdoor sports, so up to 30 royals could be in attendance.

The Queen
The Queen’s annual Christmas speech brings the nation together (Credit: BBC One)

Where will the Queen be spending Christmas Day?

The Queen and her husband Philip are currently in Windsor, where they have spent much of lockdown being looked after by a reduced number of staff dubbed HMS Bubble.

However, they could move to Sandringham during the five-day period, which is where they traditionally spend Christmas.

If the Queen remains at Windsor, it would be the first time in more than 30 years that she has spent Christmas at the historic Berkshire castle.

Will the Queen be going to church?

Last year, the Royal family attended the Christmas Day Church service at Church of St Mary Magdalene on the Sandringham estate.

This year, she will attend church on Christmas Day as per tradition.

The monarch is head of the Church of England and has a deep Christian faith.

Places of worship can open in England in all areas from December 2.

Will the Queen be recording a Christmas message this year?

The Queen will be broadcasting a 2020 Royal Christmas message as is her annual tradition.

The pre-recorded message will air at 3pm on Christmas Day on BBC One.

This year, she recorded an extra message in April as a response to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the speech, recorded at Windsor Castle, the Queen offered words of support to the nation as we continued to battle Covid-19.

Poster

Channel 4 is exploring the Royal Christmas traditions in A Very Royal Christmas at 9pm on Monday November 30 2020.

What do you think? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor

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