Queen Elizabeth might be battling some health issues, but she keeps her Christmas traditions alive. The queen will continue a tradition that was started by Her Majesty’s grandfather George V that Includes a gift to every member of her household staff, but it might not be a gift that you’d expect. According to reports, the queen will be giving all 1,500 staff members at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle a Christmas pudding from Tesco.
“All members of The Royal Household will receive Christmas presents from The Queen, and Her Majesty will personally hand out presents to some members of The Royal Household at Buckingham Palace and at Windsor Castle,” the Royal Family’s website confirms. “Continuing the tradition from her father, King George VI and her grandfather, George V – The Queen also gives Christmas puddings to her staff. About 1500 Christmas puddings paid for by The Queen (through the Privy Purse) are distributed to staff throughout the Palaces, staff in the Court Post Office and Palace police. Each pudding is accompanied by a greeting card.”
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Additionally, Queen Elizabeth isn’t letting her health concerns get in the way of the British royal family’s annual Christmas celebrations. Following a brief hospitalization in October and amid doctors’ orders that she rest, the Queen has reportedly provided a hopeful update about her health, promising that the holiday festivities will go on as normal.
The new update came by way of a royal source who told the Mirror that despite her recent health concerns, Her Majesty, 95, recently “told everyone she is feeling far better of late and is very much looking forward to welcoming them for Christmas.” The source noted that “like many other families, this will be the first time Her Majesty can gather with her extended family after being kept apart for so long due to the coronavirus pandemic,” which put a halt to traditional gatherings during the 2020 holiday season.
According to the source, the monarch is set to travel to Sandringham, her Norfolk estate, on or around Friday, Dec. 17. However, the Queen’s trip to Norfolk will likely look a little different. While she typically travels via train from London to Kings Lynn, something that reportedly isn’t completely off the table, it is more likely that the monarch will travel to Norfolk via a helicopter from Windsor in a journey that takes approximately 50 minutes. Once there, other members of the royal family will join her, with guests said to include Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Other members of the family said to have invites include Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, along with their respective partners and children. It is not expected that Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their two children, Archie and Lilbet, will make the trip overseas to attend the festivities. Also absent will be Prince Philip, who passed away in April.
