A royal delight awaits! Prince William and Kate Middleton are gearing up for a joyful and vibrant Christmas celebration with their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. The Prince and Princess of Wales, both 42, are preparing to embrace the festive season with their customary visit to Sandringham, where they will join other members of the royal family, as revealed by The Post.
Every year, all members of the royal family are invited to the late queen’s country estate in Norfolk, England, where they partake in a family dinner followed by an afternoon dedicated to exchanging gifts. “Traditionally, the king arrives on Christmas Eve, but I believe he now arrives a day earlier,” Grant Harrold, the former personal butler to the monarch, exclusively tells The Post. “They’ll likely go on Christmas Eve, but if they’re already at Amber Hall, they’ll probably be there beforehand, especially with Kate not being as active at the moment.”
“Last Christmas, she was likely aware that something wasn’t quite right, so I imagine it was a challenging Christmas,” he added. The former royal staffer mentioned that this year’s celebrations will be “more positive, based on what we’ve been informed.” “It will be like any other Christmas, centered around the young family. They are very family-oriented, much like the late queen, so that will be their focus,” he shared.
Unsurprisingly, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have once again been excluded from the invite list this year—marking the sixth consecutive year they’ve spent the festive season apart from Harry’s family. Instead, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex—along with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet—will reportedly celebrate Christmas with Markle’s mom, Doria Ragland. Recent reports suggest that Harry and the “Suits” alum, 43, will make their at-home celebrations “extra special” for their two young children.
Nevertheless, Harrold believes that the Waleses will reach out to the Sussexes to “wish them a Happy Christmas.” “I think Harry and Meghan themselves will possibly reach out,” he said. “The essence of Christmas is about goodwill to others, letting go of past grievances, and moving into the new year.” “So if there’s any time during the year that the families are going to communicate or reconnect, it’s going to be over Christmas—there’s something magical about Christmas that brings families back together,” he added.
Meanwhile, Princess Catherine will organize a special carol concert that will air on Christmas Eve. With a new theme each year, December’s service will focus on the significance of love and empathy, reflecting on “how much we need each other, especially in the most challenging times of our lives.” Indeed, the beloved royal faced a difficult start to the year, undergoing abdominal surgery in January, closely followed by a cancer diagnosis in March. Her father-in-law, King Charles III, was also diagnosed with cancer earlier this year.
Middleton, who recently announced she was cancer-free after completing chemotherapy, will lead the televised festive event at Westminster Abbey on December 6. Her involvement in this year’s event was previously uncertain given her health struggles. On the day of the service, London’s Westminster Abbey will be filled with 1,600 people who have supported their communities. It will be Princess Catherine’s fourth time staging the “Together At Christmas” carol service, an annual event supported by The Royal Foundation.
Source link: https://nypost.com
