The Queen Accidentally Reveals Surprising Detail About The Wales Vacation At Key Family Gathering
The Royal Family’s Holiday Traditions: A Look at the Festive Moments of the Wales Family
When the royal family takes time off, they often favor predictability, returning to the same beloved destinations year after year. In a documentary aired on BBC 1 last December, Queen Camilla shared a heartwarming moment, revealing what Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis eagerly rush to do when they arrive at Balmoral for their summer holidays. As the family crossed a footbridge over the river, the Queen turned to the cameras and said, “Every child, when they come here, they rush there and bounce about over the bridge for hours.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales are known to enjoy taking their children to the secluded Balmoral estate each summer, allowing George, Charlotte, and Louis to spend quality time with their paternal grandfather and cousins. However, when it comes to winter holidays, the royal family can be more adventurous. Though their holidays are typically private, the royals have been spotted in various corners of the globe over the years.
While William and Catherine are known for their grounded approach to parenting and avoiding excessive spoiling, Christmas is a time when they make an exception. On Christmas morning, their children are spoiled with gifts from Santa, adding an element of magic to their holiday celebrations. Christmas with the royal family may not differ greatly from the traditions of any other family, as the Wales family spends the holiday at Sandringham House. They attend Christmas mass in the morning and then celebrate together as a family.
Throughout the year, William and Catherine work to instill values of normalcy in their children. George, Charlotte, and Louis all attend school alongside non-royal children, which gives them the opportunity to experience life from a more ordinary perspective. However, at Christmas, the royals indulge their children a bit more than usual.
The children are reportedly involved in holiday preparations, helping Catherine bake a chocolate Christmas log and an apple pie for dessert. But the highlight of their Christmas traditions is making a gingerbread house, decorated with their favorite sweets. While the couple typically keeps their gifts private, it’s assumed that they spare no expense in making Christmas special for their children.
Currently, the Wales family is spending their holiday at Sandringham, a beloved royal estate in Norfolk. The family of five arrived earlier this month to attend the annual celebrations and spend time with royal relatives. On Christmas Day, they also enjoy quality time with Catherine’s family, the Middletons.
For George, Charlotte, and Louis, Christmas time brings the same excitement as it does for children across the UK. However, as members of the royal family, they have some unique traditions. While William and Catherine strive to give their children as normal an upbringing as possible, some royal traditions, especially around Christmas at Sandringham with the monarch, are still observed. One of these is present-giving on Christmas Eve, a tradition linked to the family’s German heritage. Former royal chef Darren McGrady explained that, after afternoon tea, the royal family follows the German tradition of opening gifts on Christmas Eve.
This year has been particularly challenging for the Prince and Princess of Wales. Catherine was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year, taking a step back from public life to undergo treatment. By late summer, she had received the good news that she was cancer-free. Throughout this difficult period, William described the year as “brutal,” dealing with both his wife’s illness and his father’s diagnosis. For the Wales family, this Christmas is likely a time of deep gratitude and togetherness, as they focus on celebrating the holidays as a family.
Although the royal family is not attending the Sandringham celebration this year, the Wales family of five will be together, creating cherished memories. Their celebration will undoubtedly be a special one, filled with love, warmth, and appreciation for the simple joys of family life.
