The royal family has their annual Christmas at Sandringham, which has been a long-held tradition started by Queen Elizabeth II. There have been many Christmases when royal rows ensued, as well as some surprises.
Princess Diana Loathed Christmas At Sandringham
Princess Diana famously loathed Christmas at Sandringham ever since her first experience at the Norfolk estate for the holidays.
Christmas 1980 wasn’t so merry for Diana when she generously purchased cashmere sweaters and other thoughtful gifts for the royals. She was pregnant with Prince William at the time but still took the time to gather presents for everyone.
She gave Princess Anne a beautiful sweater, and in return, she received a toilet paper holder. Diana was not amused. The royal family gives each other gag gifts for Christmas, and the funnier, the better, but Diana didn’t like it.
In 1994, two years after officially separating from Charles, the Princess of Wales didn’t exactly feel welcome at Christmas and left thirty minutes after church service ended. She was set to go to a homeless shelter to help, but when the press was tipped off, she canceled.
Diana was no fool. She later explained,
“If I had been photographed as some sort of lady bountiful, my husband’s family would have been in an uproar, accusing me of a stunt.”
Diana obviously played it smarter than Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. She wouldn’t dare outshine the royals.
Prince Charles And Prince Edward Fought Over Who Would Get The Best Bedroom
In 1999, Prince Charles and Prince Edward fought over who would get the best bedroom. Charles was informed that he would have to relinquish his favorite room to Edward, who had just gotten married to Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
The prince was no longer married and didn’t require as much space, but the newly married couple did. Charles was furious, but the Queen had rules that must be followed.
Royal ladies have more clout and need a “dressing room.” Sophie needed that space for her outfits since she had to wear something different each day. Fortunately, Charles reclaimed his favorite room when he married Camilla.
The Queen Banned Monopoly Because The Game Would Become “Too Vicious”
On Christmas day, the royal family loves to play games. They would always have a great deal of fun. However, one game became a source of contention for them.
The Queen had to ban Monopoly because of the fighting it caused among the family. In 2008, Prince Andrew was offered the famous board game while visiting Leeds Building Society’s headquarters.
However, he couldn’t accept the gift as he explained, “We’re not allowed to play Monopoly at home. It gets too vicious.” The royal family is known for their extreme competitiveness.
This was discussed when Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Princess Anne joined former professional rugby player Mike Tindall, who is married to Anne’s daughter, Zara, for an episode of his show, “The Good, The Bad, and The Rugby.”
Kate talked about how she and William would play table tennis for hours and said,
“It becomes a mental challenge between the two of us.”
Her Majesty’s 1992 Annus Horribilis Christmas
Christmas 1992 was the year of the Queen’s “annus horribilis.” Three of her four children separated from their spouses that year. Prince Charles, Prince Andrew, and Princess Anne ended their marriages.
Plus, the year had been riddled with scandals like the infamous “toe-sucking scandal” of Andrew’s wife, Sarah Ferguson. She was salaciously photographed topless by the press with her financial advisor in France, with him kissing her feet and toes.
During that same year, there was a fire at Windsor Castle, and Princess Diana’s tell-all memoir, “Diana, Her True Story,” by Andrew Morton.
Christmas 1992 was the first year William and Harry opened presents without their mother. Diana spent Christmas with her brother, Earl Spencer, at their family home in Althorp.
Christmas 2024 Looks, Merry And Bright
Fortunately, Christmas 2024 looks like a jolly, festive occasion, as it will be one of the largest royal family gatherings at Sandringham in years. Forty-five royals are expected to join King Charles, as there is much to celebrate.
This year was especially difficult for the royals, as King Charles and Kate were both hit with dual cancer diagnoses.
The Princess of Wales announced in September that she completed her treatment and is now cancer-free, while Charles is still undergoing treatment, but his health is said to be progressing well.
This will be the first Christmas that Charles’s stepchildren will attend. Anyone can see when the royal family is walking to Christmas day church service that they are displaying their unyielding faith and unity as a family despite their differences.
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