The British Royal Family’s Having a ‘Quieter’ Christmas This Year Because of King Charles
Christmas is shaping up to be “quiet” for the British royal family. Sure, they’ll have the Westminster Abbey carol concert in the weeks ahead, but on Christmas Day things will reportedly be “quieter.” The reason is said to be directly linked to King Charles III’s health as his cancer treatment continues.
King Charles’ health means a ‘wait and see’ approach to 2024 Christmas plans
British royals’ Christmas plans aren’t nailed down yet. That’s because, per The Daily Beast, it’s contingent upon the king’s health. Members of the royal family “are waiting to see how Charles’ health holds up in the coming months before making plans,” a source said.
The 75-year-old’s treatment is ongoing after announcing he’d been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer in early February 2024. The king’s health news came less than two months before Kate Middleton announced she too had been diagnosed with cancer. The Princess of Wales, 42, has since completed treatment and is now cancer-free.
Whatever the royal family does on Dec. 25, 2024, it probably won’t be a big bash, according to a friend of Prince Andrew’s. “It will be a quieter Christmas than last year,” they said. “But the question is, how quiet?”
“Usually everyone would know what bits they are invited to by now,” they added. “This year, it’s just wait and see.”
The royal family’s annual Christmas Day walk to church will continue
Although Christmas will be “quieter” for King Charles and the royal family one holiday tradition is presumably still on—their annual walk to church.
On Christmas Day, royals from King Charles and Queen Camilla to cousins such as Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall make the short walk from Sandringham House to the nearby St. Mary Magdalene Church for the morning service. Crowds line their walk near the church, often handing out flowers or mementos and occasionally chatting with royals.
While the royal family may not have a big private get-together on Christmas Day, they’ll head to church together that morning. After all, it’s a longtime royal family tradition. So expect to see Prince William, Kate, and their three children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—make their way to church alongside the king, queen, and the extended family.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren’t expected to be there as their relationship with the royal family is strained and has been for years. Instead, they might spend Christmas at Althorp, Princess Diana’s childhood home.
King Charles is planning for a more ‘normal’ year in 2025
Things are on track to be “normal” for the royal family come the new year. According to a palace official, that means more traveling for King Charles.
“We’re now working on a pretty normal-looking full overseas tour program for next year,” they told The Guardian on Oct. 25, 2024, as King Charles and Queen Camilla’s time in Australia and Samoa wrapped up.
The source added that the plans for 2025 were “a high for” King Charles’ team “to end on” as the royal tour came to a close. They also called it a relief “to know that we can be thinking in those terms, subject to signoff by doctors.”
King Charles paused cancer treatment during his time abroad. Now he’s back home in the U.K. and presumably back to treatment after sending a message with the tour.
