King Charles 'won't rip up the royal rule book' at Christmas - but he's more relaxed

The royals have enjoyed spending Christmas at Sandringham for decades, and after creating so many special memories there with the late Queen, the King seems keen for them to keep making more. “Christmas at Sandringham has been absolutely central to the family for years, and that legacy looks certain to continue with Charles,” says royal expert Duncan Larcombe.

"The estate has more of a country house feel than other royal residences, and it reflects the family’s love of the great outdoors.” Queen Victoria bought the 20,000-acre estate for £22,000 in 1862. When the pandemic struck in 2020 it prevented Queen Elizabeth II hosting Christmas there for the first time in 32 years.

“Sandringham had a very special place in the Queen’s heart,” Duncan adds. “It was where her father George VI passed away in 1952, which always gave it extra meaning for her.”

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The estate was also a favoured hideaway of her grandfather George V, who once described it as “dear old Sandringham, the place I love better than anywhere else in the world”.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady catered for Christmas at Sandringham for many years, and says, “Unlike Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, which belong to the State, Sandringham is owned by the royals so it’s a real home from home, and somewhere to really relax.

For the Queen, it was a place where she swapped her tiara for a headscarf and boots, and where she just loved hanging out with her family.”

After making the 100-mile train journey from King’s Cross in London to King’s Lynn in Norfolk, she would oversee a strict 72-hour festive timetable, with precise time slots for guests who arrived on Christmas Eve.

The schedule included exact timings for when the royals should wake up, gather for drinks, eat meals and go to bed.

Duncan says, “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. I think a lot of the more stoic aspects of Christmas were down to the Duke of Edinburgh, who was a stickler for timings. But I think the King is more relaxed about these things.”

Sandringham is smaller than other family properties and the youngest royals are required to share bedrooms, while some family members often spill over into the staff quarters.

The Prince and Princess of Wales do not need a room at Sandringham, because they stay at their nearby 10-bedroom home, Anmer Hall, with their three children.

The festivities formally kick off with afternoon tea on 24 December, after which the family follow the European tradition of exchanging presents a day early. There is then a dash to glam up for the Christmas Eve drinks reception and candlelit banquet.

Men wear black Windsor coats with red lapels and cuffs and the women don ball gowns. Again, there are strict rules to follow while dining.

“Traditionally they’ve never been allowed to engage in political talk over dinner, and they can’t leave the table until the monarch does,” says Duncan. “But again, those protocols may be gently phased out by Charles now.”

After dinner, card games are played, while there might be an action movie or romcom on offer in the ballroom – though nothing with too much swearing. Prince William previously revealed that Elf is a firm family favourite, while the late Queen’s festive flick of choice was apparently Flash Gordon.

William also once told how the family embrace the rare sense of togetherness during Christmas at Sandringham.

“It’s always lovely because we’re quite spread out doing our things a lot of the time throughout the year,” he said. “When I see my children meet up with some of my cousins’ children and they will have a wonderful time playing together, it’s very special.”

On Christmas morning, the customary church service at St Mary Magdalene is a must, after which a traditional turkey lunch is served.

With food playing such an integral part in proceedings, there’s usually plenty of interest in the action behind the kitchen doors. Diana, the former Princess of Wales, liked to drop in on the chefs.

“I worked for the Princess at Kensington Palace from 1993 until she died in 1997, so I got to know her pretty well,” says Darren. She would often pop in for a chat and ask me for a piece of fruit or a glass of juice. She was always interested in what we were cooking too.”

Diana was famously said to find the Sandringham Christmas a huge ordeal, and Darren adds, “I think half the time she was bored, so she just enjoyed being in the kitchen and chatting.”

However, the late Queen was not one to wander among the pots and pans. “She never had time, and she wasn’t a foodie at all,” recalls Darren. “Charles and Prince Philip came in quite a lot though, and would sometimes change the menu a bit.”

After the big Christmas Day lunch, the family pull bespoke crackers, complete with corny jokes that the late Queen used to love reading aloud. She was even said to personally pick the cracker gifts, which might include cuff links or gold or silver jewellery.

Paper hats are worn by most of those around the table, but Her Majesty always declined out of respect for the real Crown Jewels.

At 3pm, the family gather around the TV to watch the pre-recorded Christmas message, usually in silence. Queen Elizabeth reportedly never liked seeing herself on screen, and was known to take a stroll through the grounds instead.

Once the television is switched off it is time for the games, with family favourites including charades and Scrabble.

Monopoly is said to be frowned upon by some members of the family, with one source claiming, “It brings out the worst in the family, with one over-competitive royal once throwing the board across the room.” If the weather allows it, a team of royals may also enjoy a game of football with staff members on the lawns.

The fun spills over into Boxing Day, when a range of outdoor activities swing into action, before everyone goes their separate ways.

Rumour has it that at the beginning and end of the Sandringham Christmas, guests have traditionally been weighed. It was a practice said to date back to Edward VII, who wanted to make sure everyone was well fed, with 3lb considered an acceptable gain.

Tina Brown wrote in The Palace Papers, “As anyone who saw the movie Spencer knows, there’s a honk-honk tradition of family members getting weighed like French geese, first on arrival and then on departure, to record precisely how much justice they, and their livers, have done to the artery-clogging feast.”

However, Darren suggests that if such a custom ever did take place, it probably fizzled out many generations ago. “I don’t believe Princess Margaret would ever have agreed to step on to the scales – and nor would Princess Diana,” he says.