Kate Middleton’s favourite boozy game, 70 guests for lunch & cheap gifts – Inside the Royal Christmas at Sandringham

POSH black tie dinners, champagne soirees and a three course organic Turkey lunch are often on the menu for the royals at Christmas.

But while celebrations at Sandringham are always opulent, the royals also like to let their hair down with some fun, perhaps common, party games. 

Royal expert Jennie Bond says the family, particularly the younger members, love to play a Christmas Eve football match every year, while the Princess of Wales is often the one who initiates the drinking games, namely beer pong. 

Jennie, a royal correspondent for more than 35 years, told Fabulous: “I think things have loosened up a bit since the late Queen’s reign, and while a lot of the family traditions will remain, things are a touch more relaxed and informal than before with the King and Queen Consort as hosts.”

Here we take a look at what a typical Christmas at Sandringham looks like for the royal family…

Stately surroundings

Sandringham, set in 20,000 acres of land in Norfolk, has been the home of a royal family Christmas for many generations. 

The late Queen spent nearly all of her Christmas at the stately home, bar a few, including 2020 and 2021 which saw plans cancelled due to COVID.

Since her passing in 2022, the King has upheld the tradition and for the past two years hosted his family at the estate which was bought for Edward VII in 1862. 

Sandringham is so huge, the exact number of rooms is unknown, but it is believed to be between 100-200 and features a ballroom, dining room, small drawing room, white drawing room, piano room, library, gun room, the Great Saloon and billiard room.

A royal kick around

According to Jennie, Prince William and Prince Harry used to play football with members of staff on Christmas Eve and it continued as a new family tradition up until their rift. 

“Back then Team William reportedly wore Aston Villa socks while Team Harry wore Arsenal apparel,’ Jennie says.

“In Harry’s absence, this tradition may have been dropped or perhaps now played with William’s children who all love football. If the weather’s not too cold, many of the family will be outside for a walk or games with the children.”

Exchanging gifts

The royals show their fun sense of humour when exchanging Christmas gifts. Don’t expect expensive jewellery and tech equipment, the royals instead buy each other novelty gifts.

“The name of the game is to buy cheap, witty presents,” Jennie says. “The gifts are to make people laugh, not to be expensive.”

Kate once, when he was single, gave Harry a Grow Your Own girlfriend kit, while Princess Anne once gifted her older brother Charles a leather toilet seat.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales reportedly once gave his grandmother, the late Queen, a pair of slippers with her face on them. 

“These gifts are opened on Christmas Eve, a German tradition the family have adhered to for many decades,” Jennie says.

“They open their presents around teatime and the gifts are all laid out on a long table covered with a white tablecloth.

"Each pile of presents has a name attached and according to Prince Harry, at an appointed moment, they all start ripping open their gifts!”

Black tie dinner

After the exchanging of gifts at 4pm, the royals get ready for the Christmas Eve black tie dinner.

“Christmas at Sandringham gets into full swing on Christmas Eve,” Jennie says. 

The adults-only soiree often kicks off with a martini reception, followed by a four-course meal often featuring a course of beef.

Dessert is often chocolate - the late Queen’s favourite - as well as a cheese board.

Prince Harry wrote in his autobiography Spare how the family dines at a "long table covered with white cloth and white name cards."

A festive feast

“There’s always an awful lot of fabulous food at Sandringham,” Jennie says.

Christmas morning at Sandringham starts with “full, cooked breakfasts in the dining room” for the men, while ”some of the women often prefer a light breakfast” such as fruit which is served in their room. 

According to Jennie lunch, which is served around 1pm, “is extremely traditional with an organic Norfolk turkey and all the trimmings. Or rather several turkeys for the adults in the dining room, for the younger children and nannies in the nursery, and for the staff in their quarters. Mike Tindall has said there could be up to 70 guests for lunch.” 

And the festive feast doesn’t end there. After some outdoor time, the family return for tea - usually Christmas cake, chocolate Yule log, sandwiches and scones - before an evening buffet.

“Somehow they manage to pack in a scrumptious buffet supper, often with a whole Stilton with the top taken off and port poured in,” Jennie says.

Games night

On the evening of Christmas Eve, the royal family like to play a number of games, but one famous board game doesn’t make the cut!

“Don’t suggest playing Monopoly, it’s banned!” Jennie says. The royal expert explains “the late Queen thought it was too vicious” and instead the royals prefer a game of charades which is “a royal favourite.”

“They also play a card game called Racing Demon, which can be very intense and competitive,” she adds. “Catherine in particular likes card games and is something she does with her own family” 

However, the highlight of royal games night seems to be playing beer pong. 

Jennie says, “We know that Catherine enjoys the drinking game thanks to Mike, who said she was super competitive at it. Perhaps some of the family have started a new Christmas tradition at Sandringham!”

Staff gifts

It isn’t just the family who get to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham, the staff are also very much included. As well as being offered a Christmas lunch, each member of staff is given a gift from the King. 

“Thoughts turn to Christmas well before the 25th December when all the Palace staff are asked whether they would like a gift token or a book token as a present,” Jennie says.

“The King presents them with their chosen gift during the week before the big day.”

And there is also the longtime tradition of gifting each loyal member of staff with a Christmas pudding. 

Jennie explains, “It was a tradition started by George V, that the monarch gives hundreds of Christmas puddings to the members of the Household, throughout the Palaces and even the Court post office and police.”