King Charles' Christmas speech discussed by Russell Myers

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There will be a “great sadness” surrounding the royal family this Christmas, an expert has claimed, as they find a way to hold their traditions without the presence of Queen Elizabeth II. Royal biographer Omid Scobie described how after the loss of the Queen, who was known as mummy, granny or “gan gan” to many members of the family, King Charles will have the “full support” of the other royals as they settle down for the festive season.

The family will be returning to the Sandringham estate’s “big house” for the first time since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A former palace aide told Mr Scobie: “There’s still a great sense of sadness about the loss of Her Majesty. Coming together in a place where she was usually at the centre of all the warmth and laughter will no doubt feel surreal.

“Those first moments realising [she’s] not there will be heavy.”

This year will mark King Chares’ first time as host of Christmas Day, with the biographer suggesting that his approach will reflect how future family gatherings will be held.

He added: “I would imagine that, just like the first three months of his reign, the focus this holiday season will be on continuity and remembering the life of QEII.”

This means, partly, that traditions will be a focal point of the Royal Christmas this year. This includes a formal dinner and gift-giving on Christmas Eve, the St. Mary Magdalene Church service and big lunch on Christmas Day, and finally, outdoor pursuits on Boxing Day, including shooting, riding and hiking.

Mr Scobie said Charles can expect “full support from family members, working and non-working”.

This Christmas will be one of the “biggest in years” for the family, with William, 40, and Kate, 40, confirmed to be attending with their children Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 7, and Prince Louis, 4. It will also reportedly be the first year that Camilla, 75, doesn’t leave early to join her own family on Boxing Day.

Instead, Mr Scobie claimed, her children Lauren Lopes, 44, and Tom Parker Bowles, 48, will travel up to Norfolk with their families to join the King and the other royals. Also in attendance will be Prince Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, 63, who will be there alongside daughters Princess Eugenie, 32, and Princess Beatrice, 34, and their husbands and children.

Mike Tindall, 44, will also join with wife Zara, 41, and children Lena, 4, Lucas, 1, and Mia, 8.

Mr Tindall said on his podcast The Good, The Bad and the Rugby: “Obviously, there’s a lot of change, there’s a lot of firsts.”

A royal source told Mr Scobie: “The focus is really on family. This is what Christmas is all about.”

The focus on family is also tipped to apply to the King’s Speech, in which the new monarch is expected to pay tribute to his mother’s memory.

Meanwhile, speaking to the Daily Mirror, former royal butler Grant Harrold explained that when it comes to decorations, the royal family tends not to overdo it.

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He said: “Everybody gets the tinsel but if you go to a royal home, it is a lot more greenery, baubles and lights, not tinsel.”

Indeed, a picture of Kate Middleton in her London residence shows a Christmas tree behind her without tinsel, but instead adorned with velvet maroon bows, silver ornaments and a string of lights.

Mr Harrold added that although the Queen took a strict approach in relation to her own Christmas tree the late monarch had a sweet adorable tradition for mini royals.

He said: “I heard that at Sandringham, the Queen used to arrange for one of the trees in one of the rooms to be left bare for the kids to decorate it. It was a tradition that she started and the grandkids would come in and they would all do a bit of decorating, which I thought was always quite a nice idea.”

Last month it was reported that His Majesty had invited Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to the family’s festive celebrations despite the ongoing row between the firm and the Sussexes.

However, according to The Daily Mail, a source close to the King said: “They are unlikely to attend.”

The Royal Family have made Sandringham their base for Christmas and New Year since 1988.

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