In a lavishly illustrated special edition, PEOPLE takes you inside the British royal family's holiday customs, from the Victorian era and Queen Elizabeth’s childhood to Prince William and Princess Kate's next-generation traditions with their kids. Visit the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where King Charles now hosts the family, and discover what it takes to deck the halls of a castle. Plus: An exclusive inside look at the final season of The Crown.
Christmas at The Palace • A ROYAL FAMILY ALBUM
Christmas is for Kids • Growing up royal means sharing celebrations with the public. There are also private family traditions in church and at the palace
Holidays With the King • As Christmas host, Charles aims to balance longstanding royal customs with new ideas, celebrating both in public and privately with family
The King’s Speech • From radio to TV, in good times or in bad, the sovereign’s Christmas Day broadcast goes on
Hark! It’s Kate’s Concert • The Princess of Wales shines as the host of an annual musical event honoring those who help others
Diana’s Holidays With the In-Laws • The princess longed for a private celebration with her boys but held to Windsor family customs—even after her split from Charles
Meghan’s Memories • Amid a falling-out with his family, she and Harry now spend holidays in California. But the American-born duchess has fond recollections of her first Sandringham Christmas
Deck the Halls • What it takes to decorate a palace for the season—and how Queen Victoria started a tree trend
Seasonal Treats • As the Windsors near Christmas, visions of sugarplums dance in their heads. Plus: a palace chef’s pudding recipe
Around the World • At Christmastime, royals of many countries combine treasured national traditions with a commitment to charity, reaching out to their neighbors in a way that truly embraces the spirit of the season
Credits
Masthead
Season’s Greetings From Charles and Camilla • Their first Christmas card together featured a family portrait from their 2005 wedding. Since then the King and Queen have used holiday photos to share glimpses into their love story
