What will be the first Christmas of King Charles III after the death of Elizabeth II

For 69 years, Queen Elizabeth II wished her subjects a Merry Christmas with a message recorded for the occasion and later broadcast on TV. After her disappearance last September, the British tradition could adapt to the atmosphere of changes that the new sovereign, King Charles III, wants to bring to the monarchy.

For the first holidays without His Majesty the climate will certainly be different or so royal experts predict, though details still appear to be in flux. According to Jennie Bond, for example, the king intends to continue this rite but making it more streamlined and informal, at least according to what he declared in OK! Magazines: «It will be a period full of nostalgia, seasoned with a certain amount of sadness. There will be an empty place at the table where the queen once sat. The traditional family gathering will be held at Sandringham but everyone will miss the Queen. On the other hand, she is always poignant when you spend the first Christmas since the death of a loved one. So, as it happens in every other family, of course it will be something different from the previous ones».

It seems that the tradition of the remains valid exchanging gifts for royals on Christmas Eve instead of the 25thaccording to the German tradition of the ancestors of the British royal family.

However, it is not known if King Charles will open the doors of the estate of Sandringham to accommodate children, grandchildren and relatives for several days in a row, as the mother used to do. Although the giant tree has already been prepared and the family has been confirmed to attend the morning mass on 25 December at St Mary’s Magdalene Church on site. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were invited – as far as it was possible to understand – but it seems that the couple has decided to spend the holidays in California.

Meanwhile the Scottish residence of the sovereign Holywoodhouse opens its doors to the public for private tours during the holidays, from 2 to 30 December on certain days of the month, which include a visit to the West Drawing Room, used by members of the royal family as a private sitting room.

Windsor Castle has also announced its annual Christmas decorations exhibition, from 24 November to 2 January 2023, which includes visits for adults and festive activities for children. The gigantic ready-made Christmas tree is more than six meters high (compared to the four and a half meters of the one in Scotland) and requires, as usual, the preparation by many members of the staff.

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