The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as Prince George and Princess Charlotte, have a lot to celebrate this holiday season – and this year, they’re doing it their way.
After months of renovations on their country home, Anmer Hall, the Cambridge family are prepared to settle in for a Christmas that is quite unlike the one to be celebrated at Sandringham House, where the rest of the royal family will be celebrating. It is said that this is a move by Prince William to give George and Charlotte the most normal upbringing possible, and that this Christmas will be quite similar to the Christmases that Kate celebrated when she was younger. In fact, the entire Middleton clan will be reportedly joining the Cambridges at Anmer.
At present, the schedule of events looks something like this… KEEP READING!
- Christmas Eve
- The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, along with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, will attend the annual Christmas Dinner at Sandringham House, joining The Queen and the rest of the senior royals, including Prince Harry and Prince Charles.
- Presents will be exchanged after dinner. You may wonder how anyone could possibly shop for people who have everything – and the answer is by shopping for joke gifts and small trinkets. Rumor has it that William and Kate will be gifting cashmere socks this year.
- No one is permitted to leave before Her Majesty. Once she’s tucked up all snug in her bed, William and Kate will head home to Anmer to prepare for their Christmas Day celebrations with the Middleton family.
- Christmas Day
- William, Kate, George, and Charlotte will wake up at Anmer Hall with their grandparents, aunt Pippa, and uncle James, and undoubtedly the little ones will be given the opportunity to unwrap their presents. The Daily Mail is predicting that everyone will have a stocking to open, something that is typically forgone at royal celebrations.
- After opening presents, the Cambridge family will join Her Majesty at a church service. The royals typically begin arriving at church around 11am.
- Prince George and Princess Charlotte may join their parents (last year Prince George and The Duchess told a well-wisher that it was too cold to bring him out), but I’m betting they’ll be staying put with their grandparents to play with their new toys and have a delicious breakfast.
- After Church the senior members of the royal family will return to Sandringham for a traditional Christmas Day feast. The Cambridges, however, will return to Anmer Hall to celebrate with the Middletons, where the celebration is expected to be much more relaxed.
It is being said that Prince William is the driving force between the Cambridge’s break with tradition. A Royal Christmas at Sandringham is notoriously traditional, and fraught with multiple outfit changes during the day and a strict schedule which must be adhered to, and decorations that border on old-fashioned and austere. William would prefer that Prince George and Princess Charlotte grow up experiencing Christmas in a much more relaxed and jovial atmosphere. It’s been reported that Kate has decorated the house with all things glittery, with loads of flashing lights and two Christmas trees.
With this schedule in place, both families will get equal attention. William and Kate won’t be missing out on any of the key elements of a royal Christmas celebration that they are obligated to attend, and Prince George and Princess Charlotte will get to experience Christmas much the same way children all across the world do – with fun and frivolity.
What do you think of the Cambridges’ Christmas plans?