King Charles’ official royal residences have been planning for the festive season and Christmas plans for Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace have now been revealed
Christmas plans for King Charles’ royal homes have been revealed – and they include a historic first.
While the monarch and his family nearly always spent the festive season at Sandringham, big plans have been announced for his official residences of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. And in a historic first, it has been revealed that the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace will become a Christmas pop-up shop from November 14, where shoppers can stock up on products from the Royal Collection Trust. Meanwhile, at Windsor Castle, visitors there will be treated to the sight of a 20-foot-high Nordmann fir tree grown in Windsor Great Park in St George’s Hall, which will be decked with thousands of lights and ornaments.
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And a 16-foot tree will also adorn the Crimson Drawing Room, which is only open during the winter months – while special tiny decorations repurposed from vintage necklaces will be added to the ornate Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, which Queen Camilla showed First Lady Melania Trump during the US state visit.
While in north of the border at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, two 12-foot high Christmas trees will decorate the Throne Room, while a 15-foot-high Nordmann fir tree will take centre stage in the Great Gallery.
Other decorations will include garlands, berries, and winter foliage on the Great Stair and the Royal Dining Room, first used by Queen Victoria, being adorned with a silver service, sugared fruits and seasonal foliage.
Although the royals nearly always spend Christmas at Sandringham, the King’s exact plans for the festive season have not yet been revealed.
However, last year, he hosted his biggest gathering of royals in years, which included the Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children George, Charlotte and Louis.
When it comes to this year, two royals who have been tipped to miss out on the celebrations yet again are Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Fergie. It comes after Charles has signalled the pair will not be welcome at the traditional celebrations.
Sources close to Charles said he wanted to keep them at arm’s length after it recently emerged the duchess had kept in contact with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein after publicly denouncing him in 2011.
Andrew stayed away last Christmas after his links to an alleged Chinese spy, Yang Tengbo, emerged. The source told the Sunday Times: “You can’t sack someone from being your brother. But this year, if the duke and duchess were both to be as honourable [as last year], it would be very much for the best.”
The decision is being supported by the Prince of Wales, who is understood to be frustrated and concerned by the Yorks’ behaviour causing long-term reputational risk to the royals.
The King has also made clear that he would prefer them to take an “out of sight, out of mind” approach for any future family occasions that the Yorks attend.