Royal Christmas Traditions

1. They send a lot of Christmas Cards. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip send around 850 hand - signed cards. Which will usually feature a family photo. The card is signed 'Elizabeth R' and 'Philip' and features their official cyphers. Family, friends, and Members of The Royal Household will likely be the recipients of The Royal Christmas Card, but British and Commonwealth Prime Ministers, Governor-General and High Commissions may also be sent one. 2. The Queen does her Christmas shopping at “Harrods”. 3. All the Buckingham Palace staff are given gifts. They get a gift token or a book token. The value increases with seniority. 4. They spend Christmas at Sandringham House, the Queen's country estate in Norfolk (Sandringham is the much- loved country retreat of Her Majesty The Queen, and has been the private home of four generations of British monarchs since 1862. The house is set in 24 hectares of stunning gardens). 5. The Queen hires out an entire train carriage to get there. 6. The rest of the family arrives on Christmas Eve. 7. They get a different time to turn up according to their Royal Status. 8. They have two Christmas trees. 9. Partners of Royal Family members are only invited to join when they’re married, except Meghan Markle that is, in a departure from royal protocol. 10. Everyone finishes decorating the Christmas tree together. 11. Prince William and Prince Harry play an annual game of football. The two Princes take to the pitch with locals and Sandringham staff. 12. There’s a black-tie dinner on Christmas Eve. The Queen’s tipple is reportedly a gin cocktail called a Zaza. 13. They all attend Church on Christmas morning. The Queen and other members of The Royal Family attend the morning service on Christmas Day at St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham, a country church visited by The Queen's Great-Great Grandmother Queen Victoria, which dates back to the 16th century. 14. They eat turkey for Christmas dinner, just like the rest of us! Except they also have lobster… 15. The Queen pre-records her Christmas message to the people of Commonwealth. 16. On Christmas Eve, The Royal Family lay out their presents on trestle tables and will exchange their gifts at teatime. 17. They all sit down to watch it when it airs. They have a buffet dinner in the evening. 18. They all play charades. They stand up playing until midnight, as nobody can go to bed until the Queen does.

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