How will King Charles and the Royal Family celebrate Christmas at Sandringham?

The royals will spend Christmas at Sandringham. Credit: PA

The King is carrying on a decades-old tradition and celebrating Christmas at Sandringham - returning for the first time in three years.

It will be a particularly poignant festive season for the family, as they gather for the first time since Queen Elizabeth's death earlier in the year.

Royal Christmases are beset with tradition - a morning church trip, turkey for lunch and spending quality time with family. 

Some practices, though, such as the multiple outfit changes and not opening presents on Christmas day, are slightly more unusual than others. 

ITV News Anglia looks at how the Royals will spend their Christmas break. 


  • Who will be there?

As well as The King and Queen Consort, the Norfolk estate is also expected to welcome Prince and Princess of Wales and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

The Princess Royal and her family are also expected to join, as well as the Earl and Countess of Wessex and their children.

There could also be an appearance from Prince Andrew, though his attendance has not yet been confirmed.

His ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who has previously spent Christmases with the royals, once described their Christmas celebrations as “exhausting” - explaining how she changed outfits seven times in 24 hours.

In 2017 Harry and Meghan appeared at Sandringham together, although after a tumultuous year they will not be there this year. 

Present giving

While most people across the country open their presents on Christmas Day, during the Queen’s reign the Royal Family kept to the German practice of opening presents on Christmas Eve. 

Known as Heiligabend Bescherung, the tradition was popularised by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

After laying out their presents on white linen-covered trestle tables, the gifts are exchanged at teatime. 

On Christmas day the Royal Family traditionally wakes up to stockings filled with fruit and small gifts. 

Her Majesty the Queen leaving St Mary Magdalene church in 2019. Credit: PA
  • Church

As the King is head of the Church of England, a morning church service is a key part of royal celebrations.

Every year dozens of well-wishers gather close to the Church of St Mary Magdalene to catch a glimpse of the family walking to their morning service.

One of those well wishers in 2017 managed to snap a picture that went global.

Showing the so-called ‘Fab Four’, Karen Anvil’s image showed the then Duke and Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex walking to church.

With the money made from the picture Karen and her daughter Rachel cleared debts, renovated their house and even funded a nursing degree.


ITV News Royal Editor Chris Ship explains how the Queen's death has affected the Royal Family's Sandringham traditions:

"What a year it's been for the Royal Family. When you think back to the beginning of the year the Queen was still the Queen and hadn't yet celebrated her Platinum Jubilee, but of course a lot has happened this year.

"They are gathering in Sandringham and maintaining the tradition of a big family gathering, but of course that significant difference - it'll be King Charles the Third who's leading the family this year.

"They'll do all the same things. They'll go to church for the morning service, they will sit down and watch the Christmas message from the sovereign. But of course this will be the King's first Christmas message, which he's already recorded in the Chapel of St George in Windsor - very close to where his mother and father are now buried.

"So very familiar, but also so very different."


When did the King arrive?

In the past Queen Elizabeth used to travel most of the way from London on a train to King’s Lynn, and then get a car to the royal estate. 

This time around King Charles made a low-key entrance.

The royal standard, a flag which is flown when the monarch is in residence, was spotted above Sandringham on Thursday. 

Sandringham Credit: ITV Anglia

The history of Christmas at Sandringham 

Sandringham is a well loved location for the Royal Family. 

George V, the King’s great grandfather, described the house as "Dear old Sandringham, the place I love better than anywhere else in the world", and George VI, the King’s grandfather, wrote to his mother "I have always been so happy here and I love the place".

During the 60s, when King Charles and his sibling were small, Queen Elizabeth chose to spend many Christmases at Windsor Castle.

However in 1988 the castle was being rewired, so the celebrations returned to the Norfolk retreat. 

For more than a century members of the public have been able to get a taste of the estate, with the gardens first opened for everyone to see by King Edward VII in 1908, and in 1930 a Museum was opened by King George V.