Members of the Royal family spend Christmas at Sandringham each year (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Queen Elizabeth II spent 32 Christmases during her reign at the Sandringham Estate, so it must be quite a special location.
This year, her son King Charles III will carry on the tradition, after the Royal Family’s Christmas plans in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year’s Sandringham Christmas is likely to be different than previous years, as the late Queen will no longer be at the head of the table.
As the royals prepare to head to the estate for the festive period- let’s take a look back at Sandringham’s history.
When did the Christmas tradition of visiting Sandringham begin?
Although Sandringham seems synonymous with the Royal Family Christmas, the tradition only started in 1988.
Up until then, the royals had always celebrated Christmas at Windsor Castle.
They had to switch to Sandringham in 1988 as Windsor Castle was being rewired that year and obviously liked it so much that they stayed there every year after that.
Traditionally, the Queen would arrive at Sandringham in mid December and stay there until February 6 (the anniversary of her father’s death in 1952).
Then, in the days leading up to Christmas Day, she would be joined at the private Norfolk residence by up to 70 members of the Royal Family.
Sandringham gives the royals the perfect festive break away from London, being 110 miles north of the capital.
Queen Elizabeth II spent her Christmases at Sandringham House, although her Christmas Day messages were recorded at Buckingham Palace (Picture: John Stillwell/PA Wire)
Sandringham was also the setting for the very first Christmas broadcast in 1932, which was delivered by the late Queen’s grandfather King George V.
George V once described the estate as ‘dear old Sandringham, the place I love better than anywhere else in the world’ and he actually died at the house on 20 January 1936.
Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI also once fondly wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, of the house, saying: ‘I have always been so happy here and I love the place’. He, too, died at Sandringham on 6 February 1952.
Sandringham House is surrounded by 20,000 acres of Norfolk parkland (Picture: David Goddard/Getty Images)
The late Queen’s very first Christmas Day message was broadcast from Sandringham in 1952 too.
Following her death on September 8, 2022, the estate passed on to her son King Charles.
Queen Elizabeth II making her first ever Christmas broadcast to the nation from Sandringham House, Norfolk (Picture: Fox Photos/Getty Images)
The Queen’s three predecessors – King George VI, King George V and King Edward VII – all enjoyed their Christmases at Sandringham. However, Queen Victoria used to spend the festive season at Windsor Castle.
What do the royals do on Christmas Day?
The Sussexes and the Waleses at Sandringham in 2018 (Picture: i-Images)
Christmas Day for the Royal Family begins at Sandringham House where the royals enjoy a big breakfast.
Those staying on the estate but not at the house, such as the Prince and Princess of Wales who usually stay at their residence of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate, will make sure they arrive at the house in plenty of time in the morning.
A general view of the front of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate (Picture: Getty)
After breakfast, the royals make their way to the Christmas Day service at 11am, walking from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church.
Hundreds of well-wishers turn out each year to catch a glimpse of the royals on their Christmas walk which this year is expected to feature the young Prince Louis for the first time.
The Church of St Mary Magdalene (Picture: Radcliffe/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
William and Kate arriving at the church in 2018 (Picture: PA)
After the service, they make their way back to Sandringham House.
They then enjoy a private lunch and, after that, they all sit down to watch the Christmas speech, which will this year be delivered by King Charles for the first time.
The evening then sees the royals enjoying a buffet of up to 20 different dishes.
The Dining Hall at Sandringham in Norfolk, pictured in 1894 (Picture: Getty)
One thing the royals don’t do is open presents on Christmas Day.
Instead, they open their gifts after afternoon tea on Christmas Eve, as is the German tradition.
According to former royal chef, Darren McGrady, the decorations at the house are rather subtle.
He told Good Housekeeping in 2016: ‘The Queen is not lavish, so the décor is minimal. The Royal Family has a large Christmas tree and a large silver artificial tree in the dining room, which is about 30 years old.’
What do the royals eat on Christmas Day?
McGrady says the royals enjoy a ‘hardy’ breakfast before heading to church, and then have a big lunch.
He said: ‘After church, that’s when they have a big lunch that includes a salad with shrimp or lobster, and a roasted turkey, and all of your traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert,’ he said.
‘They stick with the same meal year after year.’
Of the buffet, he adds: ‘It’s always a buffet with the chefs at the table carving. They don’t do appetizers on Christmas. Appetizers and canapes are reserved for New Year’s Eve.’
MORE : How did the Royal Family start?
Members of the Royal family spend Christmas at Sandringham each year (Picture: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Queen Elizabeth II spent 32 Christmases during her reign at the Sandringham Estate, so it must be quite a special location.
This year, her son King Charles III will carry on the tradition, after the Royal Family’s Christmas plans in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year’s Sandringham Christmas is likely to be different than previous years, as the late Queen will no longer be at the head of the table.
As the royals prepare to head to the estate for the festive period- let’s take a look back at Sandringham’s history.
When did the Christmas tradition of visiting Sandringham begin?
Although Sandringham seems synonymous with the Royal Family Christmas, the tradition only started in 1988.
Up until then, the royals had always celebrated Christmas at Windsor Castle.
They had to switch to Sandringham in 1988 as Windsor Castle was being rewired that year and obviously liked it so much that they stayed there every year after that.
Traditionally, the Queen would arrive at Sandringham in mid December and stay there until February 6 (the anniversary of her father’s death in 1952).
Then, in the days leading up to Christmas Day, she would be joined at the private Norfolk residence by up to 70 members of the Royal Family.
Sandringham gives the royals the perfect festive break away from London, being 110 miles north of the capital.
Queen Elizabeth II spent her Christmases at Sandringham House, although her Christmas Day messages were recorded at Buckingham Palace (Picture: John Stillwell/PA Wire)
Sandringham was also the setting for the very first Christmas broadcast in 1932, which was delivered by the late Queen’s grandfather King George V.
George V once described the estate as ‘dear old Sandringham, the place I love better than anywhere else in the world’ and he actually died at the house on 20 January 1936.
Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI also once fondly wrote to his mother, Queen Mary, of the house, saying: ‘I have always been so happy here and I love the place’. He, too, died at Sandringham on 6 February 1952.
Sandringham House is surrounded by 20,000 acres of Norfolk parkland (Picture: David Goddard/Getty Images)
The late Queen’s very first Christmas Day message was broadcast from Sandringham in 1952 too.
Following her death on September 8, 2022, the estate passed on to her son King Charles.
Queen Elizabeth II making her first ever Christmas broadcast to the nation from Sandringham House, Norfolk (Picture: Fox Photos/Getty Images)
The Queen’s three predecessors – King George VI, King George V and King Edward VII – all enjoyed their Christmases at Sandringham. However, Queen Victoria used to spend the festive season at Windsor Castle.
What do the royals do on Christmas Day?
The Sussexes and the Waleses at Sandringham in 2018 (Picture: i-Images)
Christmas Day for the Royal Family begins at Sandringham House where the royals enjoy a big breakfast.
Those staying on the estate but not at the house, such as the Prince and Princess of Wales who usually stay at their residence of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate, will make sure they arrive at the house in plenty of time in the morning.
A general view of the front of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate (Picture: Getty)
After breakfast, the royals make their way to the Christmas Day service at 11am, walking from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church.
Hundreds of well-wishers turn out each year to catch a glimpse of the royals on their Christmas walk which this year is expected to feature the young Prince Louis for the first time.
The Church of St Mary Magdalene (Picture: Radcliffe/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
William and Kate arriving at the church in 2018 (Picture: PA)
After the service, they make their way back to Sandringham House.
They then enjoy a private lunch and, after that, they all sit down to watch the Christmas speech, which will this year be delivered by King Charles for the first time.
The evening then sees the royals enjoying a buffet of up to 20 different dishes.
The Dining Hall at Sandringham in Norfolk, pictured in 1894 (Picture: Getty)
One thing the royals don’t do is open presents on Christmas Day.
Instead, they open their gifts after afternoon tea on Christmas Eve, as is the German tradition.
According to former royal chef, Darren McGrady, the decorations at the house are rather subtle.
He told Good Housekeeping in 2016: ‘The Queen is not lavish, so the décor is minimal. The Royal Family has a large Christmas tree and a large silver artificial tree in the dining room, which is about 30 years old.’
What do the royals eat on Christmas Day?
McGrady says the royals enjoy a ‘hardy’ breakfast before heading to church, and then have a big lunch.
He said: ‘After church, that’s when they have a big lunch that includes a salad with shrimp or lobster, and a roasted turkey, and all of your traditional side dishes like parsnips, carrots, Brussels sprouts and Christmas pudding with brandy butter for dessert,’ he said.
‘They stick with the same meal year after year.’
Of the buffet, he adds: ‘It’s always a buffet with the chefs at the table carving. They don’t do appetizers on Christmas. Appetizers and canapes are reserved for New Year’s Eve.’
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MORE : How did the Royal Family start?
