King Charles was left “furious” during a Chiristmas stay at Sandringham, after being denied his “favourite suite”, it is claimed.
King Charles was forced to give away his suite at Sandringham to younger brother Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, now Duchess of Edinburgh.
Royal commentator and close friend of the late Princess Diana, Richard Kay, revealed that Christmas 1999, saw Sophie take precedence in terms of accommodation.
Mr Kay said: “A dollop of seasonal ill-will had descended on Sandringham when Charles was told he would have to yield up his favourite suite of rooms to his newly married younger brother, Edward.”
At this point, with Charles divorced but not yet remarried, it was decided that Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones (now Duchess of Edinburgh), would be in greater need of the suite.
“Charles, who has a deep need for his creature comforts, was furious,” said Mr Kay, “but the Queen’s rules at the Christmas gathering, where space can be tight, have to be obeyed.”
“There is a practical reason behind this. Royal ladies have to bring a range of outfits, often changing several times a day. They also have to wear something different each evening, while the men wear black tie”, Kay previously told the Express.
Camilla was not invited to spend Christmas with the royals at Sandringham until 2005, when Charles and Camilla got married.
A former royal courtier described it as “one of the most relaxed Christmases staff could recall” adding, “on top of that, Charles was especially happy because he’d got his favourite suite back”.
Christmas is one of the biggest dates in the calendar for the Royal Family, with Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham tradition, which has continued for decades throughout her life.
King Charles continued this tradition last year by inviting the family back to the Norfolk estate, in what marked the first celebration since the late Queen’s passing.
This year, the Sandringham celebrations benefit from the added addition of Queen Camilla’s children and grandchildren, who are also added onto the guest list.
Camilla’s children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, from her first marriage to Andrew Parker-Bowles, will be joining the Royal Family at the Norfolk estate, with Fergie also welcomed back into the fold 30 years after her divorce from Prince Andrew.
And with the exception of Harry and Meghan, the guestlist shows the dynamic relationship and growing bond between the blended family in recent years, following the loss of the Queen and Prince Phillip.
