<\/p>\n
Prince William wants to modernize Christmas at the palace.<\/p>\n
The claim was made by royal commentator and broadcaster Neil Sean, following reports that the Prince of Wales wants to eliminate what some consider a dated royal holiday tradition once he becomes king.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery year, the royals truly let their hair down and show off their sense of humor while having a gentle dig at each other out of the gaze of the public domain,\u201d Sean told Fox News Digital.\u00a0<\/p>\n
PRINCE WILLIAM WAS SHUT DOWN BY KING CHARLES AFTER FAMILY STRUGGLES LEFT HIM \u2018SHAKEN TO THE CORE\u2019: BOOK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cEvery Christmas Eve, the famous trestle table is set up, and depending on your seniority, you go up and get your Christmas present. These are \u00a31 and \u00a35 joke presents, an idea started by Queen Elizabeth II<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to this recent report, William wants to get rid of it because he believes it\u2019s forced,\u201d said Sean.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the report is wrong. What William wants to do is include more participation from palace staff, where they could mingle. My sources tell me William enjoys the informal gatherings hosted by Princess Catherine\u2019s family<\/a> and wants to move in that direction \u2014 more family-oriented, less formal, and less about seniority.\u201d<\/p>\n WATCH: BRITISH ROYALS EXCHANGE \u2018SLIGHTLY RUDE\u2019 CHRISTMAS GIFTS: EXPERT<\/strong><\/p>\n In addition to getting palace staff more involved with the festivities, the father of three is reportedly pushing to overhaul yet another longstanding royal ritual.<\/p>\n \u201cAnother tradition that is up for discussion is the famous Christmas Day walk to church,\u201d said Sean.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is well received and loved by all, according to the source. William thinks this also needs a radical rethink. He does not necessarily like being on display on what he views as a private and sacred day.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, while sometimes clashing with King Charles, he understands the public\u2019s wish to see the royal family informally. For the king, however, it\u2019s important to interact with the public who give up part of their Christmas Day to meet the royals.\u201d<\/p>\n The king, 77, isn\u2019t the only one who is in favor of keeping the annual Christmas walk with the family<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cAccording to my source, this is one area that William and Catherine don\u2019t necessarily agree on,\u201d Sean claimed, noting that the Princess of Wales shares the same mindset as her father-in-law.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBut like with so many things, it is all up for discussion in the future of the monarchy under King William.\u201d<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.<\/p>\n The Daily Mail<\/a> previously reported that William had gotten used to spending Christmas privately with his wife and their three young children.<\/p>\n \u201cFriends say the couple enjoy the Middleton-style \u2018family chaos\u2019 present-opening, rather than Sandringham\u2019s more orchestrated festivities,\u201d the outlet reported.<\/p>\n British royals expert Hilary Fordwich<\/a> told Fox News Digital that William, 43, has an issue with the \u201chierarchical nature\u201d of distributing gag gifts among the royals at Christmas. Inspired by his wife\u2019s family, he\u2019s said to be eager to introduce a more informal celebration when he becomes king.<\/p>\n \u201cHe rejects this sort of pecking order,\u201d Fordwich explained. \u201cHe isn\u2019t comfortable with rigid class distinctions in general, which is consistent and a common theme regarding everything he touches. He wants his courtiers to feel less stiff, but he does his utmost to balance the monarchy\u2019s pageantry while updating it to keep a degree of mystique.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAn example of this is that staff at the Duchy of Cornwall are no longer expected to wear ties during his visits, conveying a more casual atmosphere,\u201d she said. \u201cAt Adelaide Cottage, he\u2019s fine with children running in and out. He\u2019s already relaxed formal protocols of mandatory bowing and curtseying, making interactions more relatable \u2014 and as natural as meeting a future king can be.\u201d<\/p>\n LIKE WHAT YOU\u2019RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s all for less pomp, more purpose,\u201d Fordwich added.<\/p>\n Sean said that, moving forward, William hopes to make the royal tradition of exchanging gag gifts more relaxed and inclusive, rather than tied to the hierarchy within the line of succession.<\/p>\n \u201cHe wants to get a huge barrel, put all the presents in, and simply call up various members of the family to plunge their hand in the barrel and reveal who they\u2019ve got a present from,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said that there\u2019s no doubt the tradition, revamped or not, is here to stay.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the royals did not give each other joke gifts, it would be a joke,\u201d Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. \u201cIf those who have everything, or appear to, waste money on expensive presents, it would be ridiculous. It was once quipped that the tradition of joke gifts was \u2018Dickens in a Cartier setting.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n As for staff taking part in the festivities, Fitzwilliams admitted he has his doubts.<\/p>\n WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM, THE FUTURE KING, IS FULL OF SURPRISES: ROYAL BUTLER<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cI would have thought household staff value what freedom they have during the festive season and use it to relax when not on duty,\u201d he said. \u201cServing royals requires formality. You just can\u2019t relax conventionally.\u201d<\/p>\n True Royalty TV<\/a> co-founder Nick Bullen previously told Fox News Digital that on Christmas Eve, the royals gather around to exchange wild and wacky gifts.<\/p>\n \u201cThey do like to have fun,\u201d said Bullen. \u201cThe presents they give to each other are normally quite silly. If you\u2019ve got all the greatest jewelry in the world, all the greatest works of art in the world, all the greatest clothes in the world, what would you give each other for Christmas? It tends to be small joke presents.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Bullen, the royals get together every year at Sandringham, where they let loose.<\/p>\n \u201cDo you know what a whoopee cushion is?\u201d Bullen chuckled. \u201cI\u2019ve heard that they\u2019ve been given in the past. I\u2019ve heard that silly bath toys [were also] given in the past. Whether it\u2019s true or not, I don\u2019t know. But slightly rude, slightly funny, slightly on-the-edge presents are of the order of the day.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cQueen Elizabeth II decreed early on that since the royal family is blessed with wealth and luxuries beyond imagining, presents exchanged should be gag gifts of the whoopee cushion variety,\u201d Christopher Andersen, author of\u00a0\u201cThe King,\u201d<\/a> told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON CHANGE THE GAME FOR ROYAL LIFE DUBBED \u2018TOTAL HELL\u2019 BY INSIDER<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cCharles\u2019s favorite Christmas gift<\/a> was an upholstered white leather toilet seat \u2014 a gift from his sister, Princess Anne,\u201d Andersen claimed. \u201cHe liked it so much that he still travels with it when he goes abroad.\u201d<\/p>\n Royal photographer and broadcaster Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that Princess Anne has been crowned \u201cThe Queen of Gifts\u201d among her family.<\/p>\n \u201cShe gave a light-up pepper grinder\u00a0to the late Prince Philip,<\/a>\u201d she said. \u201cThis was the perfect gift for the \u2018King of Barbecues.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA \u2018HATED\u2019 CHRISTMAS WITH ROYALS AT SANDRINGHAM: AUTHOR<\/strong><\/p>\n Prince Harry<\/a> was the expert at choosing \u201crude\u201d gifts to his grandmother\u2019s delight, Andersen revealed.<\/p>\n \u201cOne year, it was a shower cap embroidered with \u2018Ain\u2019t Life a B\u2014\u2013,\u2019\u201d he alleged. \u201cAnother year, Harry gave the queen a \u2018Big Mouth Billy Bass\u2019 talking fish plaque. Whenever someone shrieked with surprise at a rubber snake or fake spider, the late queen used to say matter-of-factly, \u2018Oh, that would be Harry.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n William also liked to poke fun at both his younger brother and grandmother.<\/p>\n PRINCE WILLIAM QUIETLY RESHAPING MONARCHY AS KING CHARLES UNDERGOES CANCER TREATMENT, BATTLES SCANDALS: EXPERT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n \u201cPrince William gifted a \u2018Grow Your Own Girlfriend\u2019 kit to Prince Harry,\u201d Chard alleged.<\/p>\n Some reports claim it was Kate who gave that present to her brother-in-law before he met Meghan Markle in 2016<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWilliam also gifted a pair of comfy slippers to the late Queen Elizabeth II, emblazoned with her image. She was tickled pink,\u201d said Chard.<\/p>\n