The royals, like most families, had a very different Christmas last year due to Covid restrictions. Traditionally, multiple generations of the family gather at Sandringham House for the festivities. This year the Queen is expected to return to her Norfolk residence once again, to host her extended family for what will be a poignant Christmas – the first one without her husband in over 70 years.
We have HM’s great-great grandmother’s generation to thank for many of the traditions of Christmas time. Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, inspired by his German heritage, popularised the idea of decorating a tree in the home. An illustration of the royal family standing around their Christmas tree was printed in the Illustrated London News, spreading this wholesome festive family scene to the wider public, who sought to recreate it in their own homes. The royals also follow the German tradition of exchanging presents on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day.
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