It all starts weeks before Christmas when King Charles and Queen Camilla send out around 850 Christmas cards to Heads of State, Commonwealth leaders, prominent politicians and friends and family.
However, they do not sit down and sign them together. King Charles signs his separately and then they are passed to Camilla for her to add her signature. They also send personal cards to a number of friends and organisations with which each is associated.
Recipients can tell their standing with The King and Queen by the way in which their cards are signed.
Cousins like the Kents and Gloucesters have a personal name added, while leading political figures such as the Prime Minister and Speaker of the House of Commons get a formal Charles R or Camilla R.
Many of the ‘hangers-on’ don’t even get a signature, just a name stamped on.
The King’s Speech is recorded in December, just weeks before Christmas. They like to leave it to the last moment in case there is any special news.
The Princess of Wales’s carol concert has become a permanent fixture in the Royal calendar, with nearly all members of the family attending. This year will be very special and will focus on ‘how much we need others in difficult times’
His Majesty gives out some 1,450 Christmas Puddings to staff and former members, and also to the police officers manning the gates at Buckingham Palace.
By tradition, His Majesty gives a hundredweight of coal to ‘deserving and needy’ people in Windsor. It used to be around 900 people, during the early days of the late Queen’s reign, but today, as central heating has largely replaced coal fires, the number is down to below 100.
The staff receive their present from The King by being lined up in order of seniority, with Members coming first, followed by Officials and Staff bringing up the rear. They are also invited to the Household Reception which is held in the State Apartments at the Palace.
The King gives Christmas trees to a number of different places: two go to Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral gets three, the Guards Chapel at Wellington Barracks in Edinburgh receive two.
St Giles Cathedral is given one tree, as is Cannongate Kirk, while Crathie Church and Balmoral receive one and other churches and schools near Sandringham are given trees every Christmas.
Those friends and family who have been invited to join the Royal Family at Sandringham for the festivities are told when they should arrive – and in what order with the most junior ordered to turn up first, followed by those in strict order of succession to the Throne.
And, in spite of her age and experience, Anne, The Princess Royal, who is now well down the Line, will arrive quite early together with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and their children, Zara and Peter and their families.
The Prince of Wales, as first in the Line of Succession, unless he decides to remain at his own home at Anmer, does not have to arrive until last. But this year. He and Catherine, Princess of Wales are expected to hold their own festivities at nearby Anmer Hall – their country home – with their children.
Royal presents at Sandringham are traditionally exchanged at tea-time on Christmas Eve, not on Christmas Day.
The family all secretly creep down to the drawing room where the gifts have been laid out on red table cloths and following the earlier instructions of Prince Philip, still obeyed, they should all be of the simple and, if possible, humorous and inexpensive variety.
Another of the earlier customs which remains is that all presents must be opened in front of the entire room. This is when the sound of raucous laughter rings out and the one that gets the biggest laugh is cheered the most.
One long-standing custom that remains is that on Christmas Eve, dinner is a formal, ‘black-tie’ event and His Majesty hates the ‘clip-on’ variety, so gentlemen learn to tie their own. The ladies all wear evening gowns and tiaras. The dinner is at 8pm with drinks at 7pm so anyone who wants to go to church, including Midnight Mass, has plenty of time.
Christmas Day dawns much the same as every other day for The Royal Family. They do not like lying around in bed and they are all on parade for breakfast at 8.30am, which is substantial as they will all go walking later in the day.
The family all go to church in the morning at 11am but The King receives Holy Communion privately before the service from his own chaplain. When the collection plate is passed around, the Royal Equerry, who sits immediately behind The King, passes him a brand new ten-pound note. It used to be a five-pound note but inflation has not ignored Royalty.
Luncheon, as usual in most households, is the main meal of the day and is the traditional roast turkey – home reared of course – but the chef always makes sure he has The King’s favourite meal ready just in case. This is scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. But His Majesty rarely puts his chef to the trouble of making him this little extra. He will leave that to Boxing Day.
There are actually six luncheons served on Christmas Day. The first, at 11am, is for the junior staff. Then the senior footmen an hour later, followed by The Royal Family at 1.15pm.
The junior kitchen staff have theirs at 2.15pm with senior footmen and butlers next with the Royal chef the last to sit down at 4.15pm, after they have all watched The King’s Christmas broadcast at 3pm. In the evening, charades are popular with the Royal Family.
Boxing Day begins with a ‘full English’ (or Scottish) breakfast of bacon, eggs and also Kedgeree, that old British rarity of smoked haddock, onion, curry and hard boiled eggs, which used to be served off a heavy sideboard. It is more relaxed than the day before with breakfast when they like.
Then comes the traditional ‘shoot’ that nobody dares miss – unless they want to experience the displeasure of His Majesty. This starts when the King is ready and, everyone waits for him.
Lunch consists of a stuffed roll, a slice of plum pudding, an apple and diluted whisky to keep the cold out, while The King has the aforementioned scrambled eggs and smoked salmon and peach melba. Afternoons are time for relaxing, usually falling asleep on the sofa.
Later that afternoon or evening, everyone but the immediate family leaves Sandringham having witnessed a unique opportunity to enjoy Royal hospitality.
The late Queen Elizabeth, who was not in the least suspicious, ordered the decorations should be taken down only when she had left Sandringham, not on 12th night as most people do. The King is expected to follow his mother’s order.
The King and Queen remain a little longer but their work never stops. The Private Secretaries have all been on duty throughout the holiday.
