08 December 2023 , 23:05
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While you might expect one of the most famous families in the world to shower each other with expensive presents, the Royal Family actually takes a different direction for Christmas.
The Windsors may have moved into the reign of King Charles III, but there are some traditions which will almost-certainly stay put this December 25. Instead of racking up a major bill for the gifts to their nearest and dearest, the royals - including the youngest members - exchange tongue-in-cheek presents that don't cost the earth. Maybe it's because the family already own the Crown Jewels that this is preferred.
On Christmas Eve every year, the royals gather inside Sandringham Estate's red drawing room at 6pm following afternoon tea. Choosing to do the Christmas ritual on December 24 rather than 25, the Windsors are keeping in line with their German ancestry.
The royals at Sandringham, where the cheeky gift-giving tradition is held (UK Press via Getty Images)One of the best description of the royals' Christmas procedure came in Prince Harry's explosive memoir, Spare. The prince said: "The whole family gathered to open gifts on Christmas Eve, as always, a German tradition that survived the anglicizing of the family surname from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to Windsor.
"We were at Sandringham in a big room with a long table covered with white cloth and white name cards. By custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents. Then suddenly, everyone began opening at the same time. A free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper."
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Princess Diana made an error for her first year, and bought another royal a cashmere sweater (UK Press via Getty Images)
Before he passed away, Prince Philip would oversee the exchange (UK Press via Getty Images)When they get to the room, they find their presents have been laid out in front of them. But despite the "mound" of presents, they are usually all cheeky, and cheap, ones. According to reports, the cheaper and cheekier the better.
There was an additional rule when Prince Philip was alive that no one should open them until he gave the go ahead as he supervised the free for all. In the same memoir, Harry wrote how one year his great-aunt Princess Margaret gifted him a fish biro. In 2020, Meghan gave her royal husband an ornament of his grandma, the Queen.
He explained: "Meg had spotted it in a local store and thought I might like it. I held it to the light. It was Granny’s face to a T. I hung it on an eye-level branch. It made me happy to see her there."
Among memorable Christmas presents down the years are a ‘Ain’t life a bitch’ bath hat given to the Queen by Harry, a grow-your-own-girlfriend kit given to Harry by Kate, and a white leather toilet seat given by Princess Anne to Prince Charles - although he actually liked it so much he now takes it with him on overseas tours.
Princess Diana once fell foul of the family "cheap and cheerful" motto when on her first Christmas at Sandringham as a newly-wed in 1981 she gave a cashmere sweater to Princess Anne who, in return, handed over a loo-roll holder. The next year she cracked it giving Fergie a leopard-print bath mat.