Spending your first Christmas with your in-laws can be a daunting prospect, and for Princess Catherine, it involves navigating royal protocol while trying to impress the Queen. However, this year, royal traditions are set for a radical transformation. According to a source close to the Wales family, William and Catherine are preparing to host their own Christmas gathering at Amner Hall, which is expected to include Catherine’s family, her parents Michael and Carole Middleton. This marks a shift towards a more informal and relatable festive celebration.
With King Charles still undergoing treatment for cancer, the royal festivities will reportedly be quieter and less structured than in previous years. This contrasts sharply with the meticulously planned celebrations of the past, particularly those at Sandringham, the royal family’s traditional gathering place. In the past, Christmas at Sandringham has been characterized by family gatherings, joke gifts opened on Christmas Eve, and a formal church service on Christmas morning.
This year, however, the Prince and Princess of Wales aim to create a more relaxed atmosphere. Their messaging is expected to embrace a middle-class flavor, focusing on fun activities such as enjoying chocolates, watching holiday movies, and indulging in familiar comforts of home. The Waleses plan to share glimpses of their family Christmas with the public, possibly using social media to showcase their celebrations. This could involve heartwarming videos or a carousel of family photos that highlight their down-to-earth approach to the holiday.
Given that King Charles’s Christmas speech airs at 3:00 PM, if the Waleses choose to share their own festive moments at home, it would serve as a subtle counterprogramming effort. A former courtier noted that showcasing the family enjoying chocolate and watching TV would effectively illustrate how normal Christmas is at Amner Hall compared to the more formal celebrations at Sandringham.
Another significant change may involve altering the long-standing royal custom of exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve, a practice rooted in Queen Victoria’s German traditions. Historically, Queen Elizabeth II favored this tradition, as it allowed for a more subdued and sacred Christmas Day focused on family and her annual address to the nation. However, as William and Catherine prepare for their future roles as king and queen, they recognize that the Christmas Eve gift exchange may seem out of touch with modern sensibilities.
A friend of the couple remarked that Catherine has always found the Christmas Eve gift exchange to be odd, suggesting it will likely be eliminated when they officially take the throne. Instead, they might opt for a more traditional exchange of presents on Christmas Day, focusing on gifts for each other and their children at home.
Reflecting on her first royal Christmas, Catherine shared her pre-Christmas jitters in a documentary marking Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday in 2016. One of her main concerns was what to get the Queen as a Christmas gift. Fortunately, her homemade gift was well-received, showcasing the thoughtful nature of the Princess and highlighting the warmth of her relationship with her grandmother-in-law.
