Christmas Day for the Royal Family looks a little different to most people’s. King Charles and Queen Camilla are set to host their family for the festivities this year, but drinking will be set to a minimum.
Every year, the royal family partake in a traditional yet elegant Christmas Day, with a visit to St Mary Magdalene Church followed by a dinner with all the trimmings. But what occurs behind closed doors during this festive time?
King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the festivities this year, entertaining Prince William and Princess Kate, along with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Despite indulging in the occasional glass of wine, there will be no one getting drunk during the celebrations.
That’s right, not even the most senior royals like Princess Kate, King Charles and Prince William can over induldge.
Speaking to HELLO! Magazine, former royal butler Grant Harold stated he has ‘hand on heart never seen a member of the royal family drunk’. However, he went on to say that ‘if we’re talking about staff members, that’s a different ball game!’
Working for the then Prince Charles from 2004-2011, Harold is a specialist in royal etiquette, having spent time with multiple royals including Prince William and Princess Kate, along with Prince Harry as well.
He used to go to their Christmas parties, which he called ‘hysterical good fun’ but added that ‘getting to sit at a table with Prince William and have lunch was quite unusual’.
Despite the royals’ reserved nature when it comes to Christmas drinking, that isn’t to say that they don’t have an extensive collection of booze that may make an appearance during the season.
Among these are Royal Warrant holder brands such as Laurent-Perrier champagne.
‘They always offered the white wines traditionally with the starter, then the red wines’, Grant continued, going on to say that a ‘dessert wine or a rose or pink champagne’ doesn’t go amiss once the main course is finished.
Former royal chef Darren Mcgrady told CNN that rumours that the late Queen drank four cocktails a day were in fact false. ‘She’d be pickled if she drank that much. All I said was she likes a gin and Dubonnet. That’s her favourite drink’.
For Kate, she’s said to be a fan of a gin and tonic. Previously reported, William apparently brings his wife one after putting their three children to bed at night
