King Charles III is reportedly planning to move the royal family’s Christmas celebrations away from their long-time base at Sandringham this year.
According to former royal butler Grant Harrold, the 76-year-old monarch is considering bringing the festivities back to Windsor Castle- where he spent many of his early Christmases until his forties- in a bid to refresh royal holiday traditions.
The Sandringham Estate in Norfolk has hosted the royal Christmas since 1988, after Queen Elizabeth II shifted celebrations there while Windsor underwent major wiring work.
But Harrold believes His Majesty could soon change that.
“If not this year, in the near future. I think this could be another big change that the King brings in,” Harrold told GB News.
“The King has already made big changes to the summer holiday plans, showing he’s not afraid to adapt things to make it work better for how the family runs in 2025.”
Harrold, who served as Charles’ butler from 2004 to 2011, said the move would make practical sense as Windsor has become the family’s central hub- especially with the Prince and Princess of Wales preparing to make nearby Forest Lodge their permanent home.
“It’s a lot easier for them to have Christmas at Windsor; it’s much closer for all of them,” he said, adding that the castle holds deep personal meaning for the King as it’s where his parents are buried.
Harrold noted that the King and Queen “hardly use” Buckingham Palace while the decade-long renovations continue, instead favouring Clarence House in London and Windsor Castle for both living and state functions.
“Being a traditionalist, the King loves Windsor,” Harrold added.
“He’s been doing a lot at Windsor for years, especially in the gardens. Windsor is becoming more of an ‘official’ residence of the King.”
As for the guest list, Queen Camilla and the Wales family are expected to attend, while the Sussexes remain an open question following Harry’s private meeting with Charles in September.
The King’s siblings, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, are also likely to join- though Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson will almost certainly be excluded following renewed scrutiny over their ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
But Windsor Castle will not just be enjoyed by those with an HRH title this holiday season.
From November 27 to January 5, the public can visit and admire its Christmas decorations, including a magnificent 20-foot-high Nordmann fir tree in St George’s Hall.
Meanwhile, for the first time ever, Buckingham Palace’s Royal Mews will debut a pop-up shop showcasing seasonal items from the Royal Collection Trust.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.skynews.com.au ’
