Along with other members of the Royal Family, the Prince and Princess of Wales have an odd custom of dining separately on Christmas Day.

On December 25, the royal family gathers at Sandringham House for a festive lunch, but breakfast is a more private affair.

The royals have a set schedule, according to the Mirror, which starts with breakfast at 9 a.m. and ends with a church service at St. Mary Magdalene Church at 11 a.m. They have pre-lunch drinks at Sandringham House, which is now owned by King Charles III after Queen Elizabeth’s death.

Royal ladies eat breakfast in their own bedrooms, while the gentlemen congregate in the dining room prior to attending church, according to former Royal chef Darren McGrady.

Despite being married for more than a decade, the Prince and Princess of Wales do not eat breakfast together on Christmas Day, according to the Daily Record, though the exact cause of this tradition is not fully understood.

In his 2017 interview with the Daily Mail, which took place before the Queen’s death, Mr McGrady divulged: “On Christmas Day, the ladies generally opt for a light breakfast of sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast and coffee delivered to their rooms the Queen’s tray is delivered at exactly 9am.”

“The male Royals, meanwhile, come downstairs to the dining room for a hearty breakfast at 8.30am with eggs, bacon and mushrooms, kippers and grilled kidneys, to set them up for the 11am church service at St Mary Magdalene. When they return, it’s straight into pre-lunch drinks.”

It is thought that the custom of separating the genders during breakfast gives the women more time to style their hair and cosmetics for the heavily photographed church service.

Mr McGrady added: “The first time the Royals congregate on Christmas Eve is for afternoon tea at 4pm, often in the ornate Sandringham saloon under its exquisitely painted ceiling.”

“It involves a large cake, usually a ginger cake or honey and cream sponge; a fruit cake would clash with the following day’s Christmas cake.”

“Small cakes and scones are served alongside finger sandwiches (crusts removed, served in squares) filled with ham and English mustard, Sage Derby cheese and Branston Pickle or Coronation chicken, accompanied by a pot of Earl Grey tea.”

In keeping with the German custom of Heiligabend Bescherung, which is to open gifts the evening before Christmas Day, members of ‘The Firm’ also eat dinner on Christmas Eve. Whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will visit Sandringham this year with their estranged relatives has not yet been confirmed.

 

Prince Harry and Meghan have not spent Christmas with Harry’s family since 2018, more than four years after they left The Firm in 2020.

The publication of Omid Scobie’s controversial book ‘Endgame’ may have had an impact on the King’s decision regarding their involvement in the festive gathering, according to a royal analyst.