What presents the royals give each other for Christmas
For the Royal Family, it will be the another bittersweet Christmas holiday, after the death of Queen Elizabeth came only seventeen months after that of the Duke of Edinburgh.
With King Charles the newly minted head of the family, it seems that he is endeavouring to maintain at least some of the festive traditions upheld during his late mother's reign, for instance celebrating the Christmas season at the Sandringham Estate.
The Windsors traditionally arrive to their 20,000 Norfolk home on Christmas Eve, before they take part in their annual present exchange.
What the Royal Family give each other for Christmas, explained in 9 points
When do the Royal Family get to Sandringham? Traditionally, they arrive in order of seniority, so the members of the family who are further down the line of succession get their first, and the King and Queen Consort come last. This was how it worked during the late Queen’s reign, but Charles may have other plans.
Does everyone in the Royal Family get invited there? The short answer is no, but before Christmas even arrives, the wider extended family celebrate together with a lunch – this year it was at Windsor Castle, but the Queen has hosted this at Buckingham Palace before. Mike Tindall has said previously that about 70 relatives attend.
When do the royals exchange their gifts? The Windsors exchange their presents on Christmas Eve, in line with their German heritage. Everyone in attendance places their gifts on a table and they're given out before the royals enjoy "lethal martinis" and a black tie dinner.
How much do the Royal Family spend on Christmas presents? Even though they opt for cheaper presents among themselves, they still end up spending a lot. The Queen used to buy 620 gifts for family and staff, as well as gifting 1500 Christmas puddings, totalling around £30,000.
What kind of presents do they get each other? Despite what you might expect, given that they are royal, the Windsors opt for relatively cheap and cheerful presents for one another and are said to be fond of gag gifts as well as homemade presents.
What kind of gag gifts? Kate once reportedly bought Prince Harry a 'grow your own girlfriend' kit back in his single days. Prince William is said to have gifted his late grandmother a pair of slippers with her face on, and Anne famously gave Charles a leather toilet seat cover.
That's not all. Harry is said to have given the Queen a singing mounted fish, and a shower cap that featured the phrase: "Ain't life a b***h". His wife Meghan is reported to have got straight into the swing of things, presenting William with a spoon that read, "cereal killer".
They are also a fan of sentimental gifts. As well as presents aimed to make people laugh, the royals are known to enjoy thoughtful, homemade gifts. Kate, during one of her first Christmases with the Windsors made the Queen some chutney using her grandmother's own recipe.
Do they ever deviate from this tradition? Not as far as we know, the late Princess Diana is said to have made a faux-pas during her first royal Christmas after buying Princess Anne a cashmere sweater, unaware that the Windsors eschew expensive gifts during the festive season.
