The pandemic is taking away the sweetest habitsi to Queen Elizabeth, those who are close to her heart. Very important habits, which could have offered her momentary relief in a difficult year. Among the most difficult sacrifices, there is certainly not being able to stay until February in Sandrigham Castle still fully decorated for Christmas. Indeed the sovereign never allowed the decorations to be removed before her departure, which always took place at the beginning of February. Until then, woe to undo the tree and the rich decorations.
This year, although he had planned differently, was forced to spend Christmas at Windsor Castle due to the increase in infections from Covid 19, largely due to the Omicron variant. In her beloved Norfolk residence, the sovereign would have liked to host her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren again this year, with whom she would decorate the tree and unwrap the gifts at 6pm on Christmas Eve. He would have wanted it so much, especially given the fact that it is the first Christmas in 73 years had to deal without Prince Philip. Unfortunately, however, also this year, as in 2020, he did not have the opportunity to move to Sandrigham.
The Norfolk mansion seems to have a special place in his heart. In addition to having welcomed the family in many certainly happy moments, it is also the place where his father, King George VI, died, February 6, 1952. Just to remember the sad event, Elisabetta always wanted the decorations to remain in the castle until that date, after which he traditionally returned to London.
The relationship that bound her to her father was special. He once referred to her as saying that it was his “pride” (while the other daughter, Margaret, was “joy”). The stress of the Second World War undermined the health of George VI, who was also a heavy smoker. He developed a tumor, for which he was operated on, but never fully recovered, so much so that in 1951 he was forced to record his Christmas speech on several occasions, which were then assembled only later. The king died in his sleep on February 6, 1952, at the age of 56. Elizabeth, then 25, was traveling to Kenya with Philip and, hearing the news, returned home. Carlo, who was then 3 years old, and Anna, 1, were in Sandrigham with their grandparents and aunt Margaret. The waiters remembered that just the night before he died, George VI had spent time playing with his grandchildren. He then went to his rooms where he sipped a cup of hot chocolate and read a newspaper. An assistant recalled that he would like to go on a pigeon hunt the next day, if the weather allowed.
Instead everything went differently and Elizabeth arrived a couple of days later in the Norfolk countryside, where the castle stands, to kneel in front of her father’s coffin. Less than a month later, in a letter sent to Sir Eric Miéville, who had served for a long time with the king as personal secretary, he revealed all his affection and suffering: “It seems incredible that my father is not here. The more time passes, the more we realize how much is missing ». The only relief, he said, was to know that he had died in his sleep.
It is not known if even in Windsor the Christmas decorations will remain until February 6. Even if that were the case, they certainly won’t have the same meaning to her as they would have at Sandrigham Castle.
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