Charles and Camilla Brace For a ‘Cold Christmas’ Amid Expected Strike During Holidays
Roughly 400 heating oil drivers at Certas Energy, a key supplier to the Sandringham estate, may go on a strike during the holidays.
As the royal family prepares to celebrate Christmas at Sandringham, a sudden blip threatens to overshadow their much-anticipated festive plans. On December 15, union bosses warned they could cut off fuel supplies to King Charles and Queen Camilla over Christmas and the New Year. According to a report, around 400 heating oil drivers at Certas Energy, a supplier to the Sandringham estate, are expected to strike during the holidays. The dispute, said to stem from low wages, leaves the King and Queen with little time to resolve the issue.
The Unite union, a driving force behind the expected strike, claimed that Charles and Camilla could face a 'cold Christmas,' as Sandringham heavily relies on Certas for oil deliveries. The Telegraph reported that drivers plan to strike for 15 days between December 22 and January 25 in a dispute over pay. As tradition dictates, the King and Queen will depart from St Mary Magdalene Church over the weekend, with the rest of the royals following suit. They will be joined by more than 40 other family members to celebrate Christmas on the Sandringham estate.
Along with disrupting the oil supplies to Sandringham, they revealed that the strike may also affect schools, Royal Mail refueling sites, military establishments, hundreds of Gulf Oil petrol stations, and the supply of lubricants to Shell. Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, said, "Certas drivers don't expect to be treated like royalty, but they do expect a fair pay rise from their employer." She stressed that the company had proposed a 2pc pay increase, which amounted to a real-terms cut with inflation currently running at 4.3pc. It is said that the strike could still be canceled if the firm were to make an offer 'acceptable to members' and align with the increasing cost of living.
However, a potential shortage of fuel could be diverted by a biomass boiler installed by the late Prince Phillip and powered by woodchips from trees on the 20,000-acre grand estate. Charles had also commissioned a solar farm, which was believed to have been completed in the summer, though its 2,000 panels may rely on the winter sun to function. In light of the union threat, Certas Energy spokesperson clarified, "Customers should be reassured that in the event of industrial strike action, Certas has steps in place to mitigate the impact and minimize any potential disruption."
The recent union disruption isn't the only time when the King's beloved Christmas tradition was in jeopardy. Previously, on November 7, The Telegraph reported that Charles's Christmas celebrations in Sandringham were 'under threat' after choir members from the church service walked out on an event. Their anger stemmed from the departure of Dr. Claire Stewart, the church's director of music, who took many stress-related leaves. In response to the chaos, a diocesan spokesperson had said, "There is a full schedule of services planned at Sandringham to celebrate the joy of Christmas so that parishioners, including the choir, can come together to sing of the wonder of the gift of Jesus to the world."
