Queen Elizabeth values the careful planning that goes into her annual Christmas lunch. She ensures that this family tradition goes without hitches so she's hands-on with the preparations.
One of Her Majesty's demands for this yearly royal family gathering is to have separate rooms for children and the adults while they eat. Though Christmas is a joyous occasion for the children, they can only be with the adults after they had their lunch.
The diary of the late Kenneth Rose, a royal biographer, detailed the Queen's Christmas lunch planning. Rose wrote that, when the eating is done, the doors to the rooms are widely opened for the "hoard" of kids to rush and join their parents.
On Christmas eve, the royal family gathers around to open their presents in keeping with the family's German roots. It's also a tradition to give gag gifts to each other that usually elicits a lot of laughs and giggles.
There was one instance when Prince Harry, reportedly, gave Queen Elizabeth a shower cap written with the words "Ain't Life a B****," according to biographer Brian Hoey. Princess Diana wasn't, apparently, aware of this gag gift tradition in her first year as a member of the royal family that she ended up giving everyone expensive cashmere.
During breakfast on Christmas day, the men in the royal family prepare the meals filled with bacon, eggs and kippers. The women set up the fruits and toast tray to go with their coffee or tea.
Then, the royals head to church in Sandringham for the Christmas service in the morning. In 2018, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, walked side-by-side with Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton. The younger royal children are usually exempt from joining this mass but Prince George could be expected this year now that he's a bigger boy.
After the church service, the family returns to the Queen's house in Sandringham for the festive lunch. Apart from the turkey and mashed potatoes, the royals also share a Christmas pudding with brandy sauce and butter.
These lunches usually last in the mid-afternoon. The royal family also sit down together to watch the Queen's yearly Christmas broadcast for the U.K., which she records prior to the holidays. Queen Elizabeth has been delivering this speech on television since 1957.
On Christmas night, the family has games of Charades indoors and a football match outdoors. The next day, they visit the pheasant shooting area, which is another family tradition.
