They are members, but at heart they are a family – and like the rest of us, the Windsors have their own traditions and holiday entertainment.
As with most people, it all starts with a trip home. For the Queen, that means heading to her country estate in Sandringham for her family’s annual Christmas retreat.
It remains unclear whether she will make the trip this year, as the micron variant of the coronavirus has wreaked havoc across the UK. A pre-Christmas lunch the monarch offers for the extended family has already been canceled as a precaution, a Buckingham Palace source told the CNN on Thursday (16). The annual event is usually an opportunity for Elizabeth II to spend time with relatives before Christmas and then retire to the countryside. But the assessment was that the lunch would put many people’s Christmas arrangements at risk. Although there is “regret” for the cancellation, the source added, the decision was considered “the right thing to do”.
The closest members of the family traditionally gather to celebrate the holiday season at Sandringham Farm in Norfolk, about 100 miles north of London. It was not until the 1960s, when the monarch’s children were young, that this tradition temporarily moved to Windsor Castle.
If the family can get together, the Queen will likely be delighted to resume her hostess duties after breaking the tradition of having a quiet Christmas last year because of the pandemic. But it will also be a sad time for the matriarch, as it will be the first holiday season since the death of Prince Philip, to whom she has been married for 73 years.
The queen usually goes to Sandringham a few days before the rest of her clan for a final check on preparations. It remains to be seen when or how the monarch will move into her rural retreat, but in recent years she has often boarded a regular train from London’s King’s Cross station to make the journey.
Unlike Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle, Sandringham is the Queen’s privately owned home. Being there gives you time with your loved ones, away from the cameras and people’s watchful eyes. It’s an opportunity to relax and enjoy each other’s company. But, for reasons of space, Christmas invitations are usually extended only to close family members. From time to time the Queen makes notable exceptions, such as when she received Meghan Markle on the estate before she married Prince Harry.
Once the guests arrive in Sandringham (mostly on Christmas Eve), the fun begins. The first event is supposed to be afternoon tea to get everyone settled. Later, the royalty dons their best attire for a gala dinner in the highest style, after placing their gifts on trestle tables placed next to the dining table.
After the glamorous meal, it’s time to open the presents, a German custom adopted by the queen’s great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria, when she married Prince Albert.
Christmas morning brings another tradition inherited from Victoria, which in turn comes from a 16th-century custom: the family pilgrimage on foot to St. Mary Magdalene Church, which is also located on Sandringham’s sprawling 8,000-hectare estate. (Queen drives to church). Although Elizabeth II is a deeply religious person, it is still unclear whether the event could occur as the UK struggles to contain the spread of the Ômicron variant. Perhaps the queen feels that her family’s presence could attract locals along the way, which is not advisable at the moment.
Then the family returns home for lunch, followed by the matriarch’s traditional pre-recorded Christmas broadcast on TV. The afternoon brings a walk through the countryside followed by a night of indoor games.
Prince William revealed that “food is very important to me at Christmas” in an interview a few days ago for a radio station. The duke said that “there’s always a little room left in the stomach somewhere for a little more turkey or sausage or a little wine.”
He added: “Having the family together at Christmas time is always lovely and seeing my kids meet my cousin’s kids and everyone have fun playing together is very special.”
Boxing Day (as it’s known on December 26 in the UK) is yet another long-standing event, with family members heading out on a pheasant hunt at the site.
The queen’s period at Sandringham tends to vary. It has become a tradition for her to stay on the farm until after February 6, the anniversary of her father’s death, to remember the date privately. But the monarch often attends a local appointment, aware that the date also marks the beginning of his reign.
Away from Sandringham, there are other traditions to be preserved. Family, friends and members of the Royal House usually receive one of the 750 precious family photo cards that the Queen sends each year. Other recipients may include British and Commonwealth Prime Ministers, Governors General and High Commissioners.
The Queen’s staff at the Royal House can also receive traditional Christmas puddings sent by the monarch, a convention also adopted by her grandfather George V and her father, King George VI. Within a few years, the Queen personally delivers gifts to some of her servants on royal property.
With the death of Prince Philip, and his country still in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, the monarch has gone through ordeals in the past 12 months. It also didn’t help that she herself suffered a health crisis and canceled public appointments at the end of the year.
“In 1992, the Queen, in a famous Guildhall speech, said ‘This is my annus horribilis, my terrible year,’ and I think she could say that about this year too,” royal historian Michael L. Nash told CNN .
Although some are concerned about her advanced age, Elizabeth II’s escape into privacy and her family’s embrace in Sandringham will be another indication that she is back to normal. There is no doubt that she is looking forward to next year and looking forward to getting back to her royal assignments.
Charles and Camilla celebrate
More members of the royal family are getting into the Christmas spirit, with Christmas just a week away. The Prince of Wales and his wife, Camilla, met with volunteers and staff at a food bank in south-west London on Tuesday (14). During the visit, the couple expressed their gratitude to those who work there to support the community. A day later, Camilla helped decorate the Christmas tree at Clarence House and was visited by children from two charities of which she is a sponsor. His special guests were treated to festive music performed by the Welsh Guard Band. A video of the event can be seen here.
Christmas trees
Historically, royalty loves Christmas trees. In fact, Queen Charlotte, consort of George III, is credited with introducing the custom to the royal family. Fervor also extended to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who helped popularize the tradition across the country. Today, Elizabeth II and her family often put the finishing touches on her Christmas tree together.
The Queen also donates trees each year to Westminster Abbey and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, and St. Giles’ Cathedral and Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh. She also sends trees to churches and schools in the Sandringham area.
A time-lapse video on Instagram shows Windsor’s team decorating the incredible castle centerpiece in St. George’s Hall. The work lasted 13 hours. Look here.
poem reading
The pandemic has caused some serious disruption to families across the UK in the past year, and the royal family was no exception. The restrictions eased the actual moments during the festive period last year, such as the usual Christmas Day family walk to church.
For 2021, the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall recorded a special reading of the poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Some of the famous faces that joined the star-studded reading included actors Maggie Smith, Ncuti Gatwa and Tom Hardy. The recording raised funds for The Actors’ Benevolent Fund, a charity Charles is patron of that supports actors and theater workers. The video is here.
This content was originally created in English.
original version
Reference: CNN Brasil
I’m James Harper, a highly experienced and accomplished news writer for World Stock Market. I have been writing in the Politics section of the website for over five years, providing readers with up-to-date and insightful information about current events in politics. My work is widely read and respected by many industry professionals as well as laymen.
