Prince William Could Rewrite Royal Christmas Rules When He Takes Over the Crown
Change is inevitable, and perhaps the only true constant- a belief Prince William has long appeared to embrace. The future King has never shied away from expressing his discomfort with outdated traditions, nor from pledging meaningful reform once he ascends the throne. During an appearance on The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy, William openly spoke about his desire to shake things up, and it now seems that even cherished Christmas traditions may not be exempt from his modernizing vision.
Under King Charles’ reign, many festive customs have remained familiar: the royal family gathers at Sandringham, enjoys a black-tie Christmas Eve dinner, followed by the traditional church walk and service the next morning, before concluding celebrations with a lavish royal lunch. While King Charles has already softened several long-standing protocols, as noted by Vanity Fair, the future king is reportedly keen to take modernization a step further.
“It used to be a nightmare going to Sandringham because there used to be so many outfit changes, sometimes up to six a day. But the king has relaxed that. There won’t be so many changes, but everyone will wear a black tie at Christmas dinner,” an insider revealed. However, in the future, we might see a considerably scaled-down celebration. Paul Burrell, speaking on Casino.org's behalf added, “When William takes the throne, he’ll be the one presiding over family Christmases at Sandringham. But they’ll be much smaller than they are now."
So, what changes does the next King desire to enforce? Burrell shared that William might mark the end of an era if he decides to discontinue the Christmas celebration in Sandringham. “I think we're witnessing the end of an era because Sandringham has a place in time. It was built in the Victorian era. It served a Victorian court," he explained. Burrell also opined that William may open the doors for the Middletons as well and shift the celebration to Anmer Hall. “The King feels a duty to invite the entire family; William will not feel that same obligation. He’ll invite the Middletons and his immediate family," added the royal expert.
After Christmas lunch, William and his family anyway go to celebrate the occasion with Princess Kate's family at Anmer Hall, so the change of venue makes sense. “They may not even use Sandringham House—it may feel too large for them. Anmer Hall, another property on the estate, would be a more fitting, more intimate setting for their Christmases," added Burrell. He, however, is disappointed that with the change of venue, and added that the United Kingdom might gain a tourist attraction, but other than that Sandringham House will probably have no future use.
Daily Mail previously shared how William plans to axe hierarchical tradition. The future king is said to dislike the rigid hierarchy surrounding Christmas Eve gift exchanges, seating plans, and room allocations based on rank. Deeply fond of his cousins and other relatives who are not higher in rank, William reportedly wants celebrations to feel warmer and more equal, moving away from formality toward a more inclusive, family-first approach once he takes charge.