Christmas is a time filled with tradition, especially for King Charles III and the British royal family. There’s the walk to church, the monarch’s televised speech, a big lunch, and gag gifts, just to name a few. This year, however, the king’s expected to ditch some of the Christmas “rules” from the days of his late mother Queen Elizabeth II. A royal expert predicts King Charles will “loosen” some of the Christmas “rules” while also maintaining the royal family’s “legacy.”
King Charles is continuing the royal family’s Christmas ‘legacy’
“Christmas at Sandringham has been absolutely central to the family for years, and that legacy looks certain to continue with Charles,” he said. But why that particular residence and not another one, say the Balmoral estate or Windsor Castle? It goes back to Queen Elizabeth.
“Sandringham had a very special place in the Queen’s heart,” Larcombe said. “It was where her father [King] George VI passed away in 1952, which always gave it extra meaning for her.”
Although Christmas might be different under King Charles’s reign, the holiday won’t be an entirely new experience. Speaking to the U.K.’s Mirror, royal expert Duncan Larcombe opened up about how the king’s keeping up the family’s biggest Christmas traditions. Namely where they celebrate, at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England.
He may have some of the ‘rules’ for Christmas ‘gently phased out’
So what’s King Charles going to change about how the royal family celebrates Christmas? According to Larcombe, any changes the 76-year-old monarch makes will be subtle. At least to the outside world. “I don’t think Charles will exactly rip up the rule book, but there’s a strong chance he’ll loosen some of the rules,” the royal expert told the outlet.
The king’s likely to do away with things his father, the late Prince Philip, was known to enforce. “I think a lot of the more stoic aspects of Christmas were down to the Duke of Edinburgh, who was a stickler for timings,” Larcombe said. “But I think the King is more relaxed about these things.”
He also suggested King Charles might do away with certain topics being no-no’s at Christmastime. “Traditionally they’ve never been allowed to engage in political talk over dinner, and they can’t leave the table until the monarch does,” he said. “But again, those protocols may be gently phased out by Charles now.”
Christmas will be ‘quieter’ for the King Charles and the royal family
Christmas is on track to look different for the royal family even without potentially lightening up on the “rules.” Due to the king’s cancer treatment, which began in February 2024, the holiday is expected to be “quieter” than 2023. Although it may not apply to Prince William and Kate Middleton, who are reportedly throwing a “rival” Christmas party at Anmer Hall, their home on the Sandringham estate.
“[They] are waiting to see how Charles’ health holds up in the coming months before making plans,” a source previously told The Daily Beast. Meanwhile, a friend of Prince Andrew’s shared plans hadn’t been firmed up.
“It will be a quieter Christmas than last year,” the friend said. “But the question is, how quiet? Usually, everyone would know what bits they are invited to by now. This year, it’s just wait and see.”
