Former Royal Butler Predicts How Royal Family Will Celebrate First Christmas After Queen Elizabeth’s Death
December 2022 marks the first Christmas the royal family will spend without Queen Elizabeth. Following Her Majesty’s death in September, a former royal butler predicted how the royal family would celebrate the holiday. Will they keep traditions established by the queen or start new ones? Here’s what the former butler predicted, and what the royal family has shared so far about their Christmas plans.
Queen Elizabeth died in September after ruling for 70 years
On Sept. 8, Queen Elizabeth died of old age at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. She was 96 years old and had ruled for seven decades.
Her heir, King Charles III, ascended to the throne, passing down his former title, the Prince of Wales, to his oldest son, Prince William. Kate Middleton, formerly the Duchess of Cambridge, is now the Princess of Wales.
Every year, Queen Elizabeth recorded a special message that was broadcast on television, radio, and the internet at 3:00 pm GMT on Christmas Day.
Last year, the queen’s message included several words about love and loss, as Prince Philip, her spouse of 73 years, died in April 2021. “Although it’s a time of great happiness and good cheer for many, Christmas can be hard for those who have lost loved ones,” she said. This year, especially, I understand why.”
Later in her speech, the queen added, “But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings; and as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas.”
A former royal butler predicted that Christmas would be a difficult time for the royal family after Queen Elizabeth’s death
Former royal butler Grant Harrold celebrated Christmas with the royal family, including Queen Elizabeth, for several years. He said he thinks the holiday will be a difficult time for the royal family following Her Majesty’s death. Harrold also predicted whether King Charles would keep the queen’s Christmas traditions or start his own this year.
“The queen and Prince Philip loved Christmas. It was all about the family, getting together and celebrating. I think they’ll want to get together for her memory,” the former butler told Slingo. “The interesting bit will be that the Queen famously stayed at Sandringham and the decorations apparently stayed up until she left, but I don’t see the King doing that. King Charles traditionally goes up to Scotland for the New Year, but this is where there could be a big change. He might surprise everybody and copy the Queen by staying at Sandringham for a month after, or he might go up to Scotland.”
The former royal butler says the queen’s traditions are ‘very important’ to King Charles
After Grant Harrold’s comments, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, along with other members of the royal family, will attend the Morning Service on Christmas Day at Sandringham Church.
The former butler accurately predicted that King Charles would continue Queen Elizabeth’s traditions. “Like the Queen, he enjoys Christmas and is very religious. I think it’s going to be very important for him to keep all the traditions that the Queen had,” Harrold said. “Whatever happens, I think it will determine what happens in the future.”
He added that Charles might change the royal family’s Christmas tradition in the upcoming years. “Whether that tradition will continue into the future, who knows?” Harrold wondered. “He might change it, but especially after the year they’ve had, I think he will be keen to have the family together for a big Christmas… I think it will be very much a reflective one this year.”
