I’m a royal expert – here’s what you need to know about the Sandringham Christmas

Royal Christmases have an established pattern. To watch the royal family arrive for church is to see largely the same figures but in different outfits, and the children growing up from year to year.

This is the second Christmas of the King’s reign, both of which have been celebrated at Sandringham. So what is different this time? There were touching scenes of young royal cousins holding hands, and there was a spirit of family reconciliation in the air.

Princess Beatrice included her seven-year-old stepson, known as “Wolfie”, son of her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. For the second year running, the King allowed Prince Andrew to join the family for this service.

He and his family are staying at Wood Farm, to which Prince Philip retired between 2017 and 2020.

In 2019, Prince Andrew was not allowed to be seen with the family, though the media spotted him walking to an early service with Prince Charles. Now he is included in family services, which does not mean a return to royal duties, as some pundits will insist.

Another feature this year was the appearance of Sarah Ferguson, Prince Andrew’s former wife, in a green coat and green boots for the first time since 1991. Not seen in the general royal melée were the children of Queen Camilla – Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes. They were included in the family Christmas this year, a civilised indication of a relaxed attitude towards split families, which will be experienced in many homes across Britain. So, full marks to the King for his generous approach.

Absent, of course, were the recalcitrant Sussexes. Meghan Markle made quite a stir in 2017 when, even prior to marriage, she was invited to join the family for this service. Royal fiancées are not normally included before marriage but it gave one member of the crowd the chance to get a memorable photograph of William, Kate, Harry and Meghan walking along together.

Royal Christmases were always celebrated at Sandringham in the days of George V and George VI, but during the 1960s Queen Elizabeth II would invite her extended family to stay at Windsor Castle and in the mid-1970s often included Princess Anne’s Phillips in-laws. From 1988 the castle was being re-wired (and the family too numerous) and so she revived Christmas at Sandringham.

A feature of the Windsor Christmases, hugely enjoyed, was when the Queen opened the doors on Christmas Eve and the children rushed in to open their presents. In those days the royal family went to matins at St George’s Chapel. Now it is to church at Sandringham that they go.

St Mary Magdalene Church is a short walk from the “Big House”. Prince John, the youngest son of George V and Queen Mary, is buried there as is the infant Prince Alexander, son of Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

Because George V and George VI both died at Sandringham, their coffins rested in the church before the long journey to London. When Queen Alexandra died there in 1925, her coffin was taken there too, mourners recalling the wails of her ancient lady in waiting, Charlotte Knollys, as she watched from an upper window.

The church has seen many a royal baptism from Prince Albert of York (later George VI) in 1895 to Princess Charlotte in 2015. So too was the young Diana Spencer baptised there in 1961, since her parents were living nearby at Park House.

This year’s Christmas looks a happy one. It was not always thus.

In 2001, the Queen watched before Christmas as two wheelchairs emerged from the BA146, containing the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, both of whom died in the early months of 2002.

Queen Mary, the Queen’s grandmother, hardly left her room at Christmas 1952, dying the following March. Prince Philip was seriously unwell and did not appear in 2011 – and in 2016 the Queen remained at the “Big House” with what was described as a “bad cold”.