Royal Family celebrates Christmas - Lunch at Windsor Castle
The royal Christmas celebrations in the UK are in full swing. However, the Windsors are celebrating not just once, but several times - and in different places. Before heading to Sandringham for the holidays at the weekend, King Charles III (75) and Queen Camilla (76) invited their family members to a traditional pre-Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle on Wednesday.
According to the British Daily Mail, the guests included Zara Tindall (42) with husband Mike Tindall (45), Princess Eugenie (33) with husband Jack Brooksbank (37), Prince Andrew (63), Peter Phillips (46) and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (40) as well as Prince Michael of Kent (81) and his wife (78). Prince Edward (59) and Duchess Sophie (58) were also photographed arriving with their daughter Lady Louise Windsor (20). Princess Anne (73) was also there with her husband Tim Laurence (68).
According to the British newspaper, the lunch, which traditionally takes place on the Wednesday before Christmas, is one of the rare occasions when numerous distant members of the Royal Family come together. It is an opportunity for the monarch to celebrate with family members who are not attending the festivities in Norfolk. At the event, the family sits at round tables, eats turkey and pulls Christmas crackers. Prince William (41) and Princess Kate (41) were apparently not present at the lunch.
Christmas concert and social commitment
The Prince and Princess of Wales have already created a royal Christmas atmosphere in recent days: together with their three children Prince George (10), Princess Charlotte (8) and Prince Louis (5) and other family members, the couple attended the traditional Christmas concert in Westminster Abbey on December 9. Kate sat down at the piano again at the concert and played a version of "Last Christmas". Five-year-old Prince Louis once again provided a funny moment: he blew out his sister Charlotte's candle.
A few days later, the family visited a charitable organization to sort Christmas donations for disadvantaged families and children.
Camilla also used the pre-Christmas period for charity: on December 6, the Queen invited several seriously ill children to her London residence, Clarence House, to decorate a Christmas tree with them. There was also a visit from Santa Claus with his reindeer and a feast of sausages, mashed potatoes and broccoli.
Christmas holidays in Sandringham
Selected members of the Royal Family traditionally spend the Christmas holidays at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. This remains the case for the first Christmas after the coronation of King Charles III. According to the Daily Mail, Charles and Camilla will be celebrating there this year with Prince William, Princess Kate and their three children, Princess Anne and her family as well as Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie and their children. Camilla's children and grandchildren will also be invited for the first time.
Various games, activities and joke gifts are on the program. In honor of their German ancestors, the family will exchange gifts on Christmas Eve, not on Christmas Day as is customary in the UK.
On December 25, the family will then attend a Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate, followed by lunch together. On the evening of Christmas Day, King Charles will give the traditional Christmas speech.
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- The Royal Family's pre-Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle was attended by Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie, along with their daughter Lady Louise Windsor.
- Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank, and Prince Andrew were also part of the royal gathering at Windsor Castle before the Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.
- The British Daily Mail reported that Mike Tindall and Zara Tindall were present at the pre-Christmas lunch, marking their attendance with the Royal Family.
- King Charles III and Queen Camilla invited several distant members of the Royal Family to their traditional pre-Christmas lunch, including Prince Michael of Kent and his wife.
- The annual lunch, which traditionally takes place a day before Christmas, is a rare occasion for numerous Royal Family members to gather.
- During the festive event at Windsor Castle, the Royals enjoyed a turkey lunch and pulled Christmas crackers.
- The Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince William and Duchess Kate, were not present at the pre-Christmas lunch, but they have already created a royal Christmas atmosphere in recent days.
- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis attended the traditional Christmas concert in Westminster Abbey on December 9.
- At the concert, Kate Middleton played a version of "Last Christmas" on the piano, while a funny moment occurred when five-year-old Prince Louis blew out his sister Charlotte's candle.
- The family subsequently visited a charitable organization to help sort Christmas donations for disadvantaged families and children.
- Camilla used the pre-Christmas period to engage in charity activities, inviting several seriously ill children to decorate a Christmas tree at Clarence House.
- From December 25, selected members of the Royal Family will spend the Christmas holidays at King Charles III and Queen Camilla's estate in Norfolk, Sandringham, including Prince William, Princess Kate, and their three children.
Source: www.stern.de
