According to Brian Hoey in Wales Online, Christmas preparations can start as early as March. For example, in 2014 it was just before Easter when Queen Elizabeth II’s chief housekeeper at Buckingham Palace sent a group email round the staff asking them an important question – what they want for Christmas. The email, sent to every member of the household – which is around 550 people including part-timers – asked them to choose between two options of what Her Majesty could give them for Christmas.

They were offered either a gift token or a book token.

However, there were a number of conditions on this – firstly, they have to have been in royal service for over a year or they will not receive anything, and secondly their gift will be in proportion to their seniority.

Mr Hoey wrote: “They cannot have anything – as Prince Charles might put it – ‘above their station’.”

This means the most junior staff can have a voucher worth £28, increasing year by year to a maximum of £35.

Then, in the week before Christmas, all the staff go to one of the State Apartments on the ground floor of Buckingham Palace.

First, they stand and listen to the Lord Chamberlain, the Head of the Royal Household, who delivers his report on their performance that year.

Then, the Queen comes in to hand out everyone’s gift tokens.

This is done in a strict order of precedence with the Members going first – this means the private secretaries, Keeper of the Privy Purse, Crown Equerry and Master of the Household.

They are followed by the Senior Officials, including accountants and administrators.

Next in line are the ordinary Officials, including office clerks and press officers.

Finally, all the domestic workers are given their presents – this means the cooks, footmen, maids, cleaners, chauffeurs and the outside staff who work in the garden.

Their names are each called out by the Lord Chamberlain and they come forward to meet the Queen, who hands over their beautifully wrapped gift.

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Mr Hoey joked: “They thank her, saying it was exactly what they wanted (without even opening it).

“And of course it is, after all, they chose it themselves nine months ago!”

Certain senior members of the Royal Household also get Christmas cards from the Queen and Prince Philip.

The monarch and her husband send about 850 Christmas cards in total each year and these are also done well ahead of time.

The Queen used to sign hers aboard the Royal Yacht during her summer cruise, but now she signs them at Balmoral.

Then, they are passed over to the Duke of Edinburgh for him to add his name.

Recipients can tell their standing with the Queen by the way in which she signs their cards.

When writing to her cousins like the Gloucesters and Kents, she signs with her childhood nickname, Lillibet.

When writing to political figures such as the Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor and the Speaker of the House of Commons, the pair of them write a formal ‘Elizabeth R and Philip’.

Close friends receive a card with a sign off of ‘Elizabeth and Philip’ without the R, which stands for Regina.

However, those senior members or former senior members of the Royal Household can sometimes receive a card that has not even been personally signed.

Mr Hoey addeed: “The signature is simply stamped on. But naturally, the Queen does not have to lick the stamps on the envelopes.

“They are franked with the Royal Cypher E11R – and we pay the postage.”

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