Having a big family at Christmas can be tough, and it seems even the royal family isn’t immune to the struggle of finding a comfy place to sleep.
According to a report from Mail+’s Palace Confidential, the Prince and Princess of Wales had to make do with “fish finger” style beds while traveling to Norfolk to join King Charles at Sandringham.
They reportedly had to endure “old-fashioned beds with squeaky springs at the bottom,” along with small single beds. Definitely not the ideal setup for a peaceful night!
As Rebecca English, the Royal Editor of The Daily Mail, mentioned, “Sandringham can fit about 16 to 18 people to have a sleepover comfortably.”
However, it seems it might have been a bit cramped this year, with Prince William recently sharing his excitement about spending Christmas with “45 family members.”
To make room, it’s rumored that the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh may have been sent to the “staff quarters,” just like in previous years.
Christmas at Sandringham
Every year, the Christmas celebration follows the same tradition. Prince Harry has referred to it as a “free-for-all,” describing the royals’ tradition of exchanging gifts on December 24.
In his memoir Spare, he wrote: “The entire family came together to open presents on Christmas Eve, continuing a German tradition that remained even after the family name was anglicized from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.”
The festivities unfold in a spacious room at Sandringham, with a long table draped in white cloth and name cards marking each person’s seat.
As per former royal chef Darren McGrady, the royal family kicks off Christmas Day with a hearty breakfast bright and early.
The women are served “sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast, and coffee brought to their rooms,” while the men enjoy a full English breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, mushrooms, kippers, and grilled kidneys.
Following that, the family heads to the morning service at St. Mary Magdalene, where they greet well-wishers along the way.
Later, they return for lunch. Darren had mentioned previously, “It’s the same meal every year!” He went on to say, “When it comes to celebrations, they’re really boring! They just stick to the traditional turkey, no hams or anything.”
Even though wine is always on hand, the royal family follows one unspoken rule.
Grant Harrold, a former royal butler, confidently stated “hand on heart” that the royal family never gets drunk during Christmas or other family gatherings.
“I truly believe that I’ve never seen a member of the royal family intoxicated. Now, if we’re talking about the staff, that’s a different story,” he joked.