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How the Royal Family celebrate Christmas!

Yule love this look back at the best festive moments through the years. - by New Idea
  • 15 Dec 2020

If there’s one family who knows how to celebrate Christmas traditions, it’s the Royal Family.

WATCH: Princess Diana Made a Royal Faux Pas During Her First Christmas with the Family

Whether it be a gala, charity event, or attending their son’s nativity play (young Prince Harry endeared the crowd as a shepherd in 1988), there are always royal engagements to attend.

No matter the decade, the world’s most famous family never fails to disappoint during their public appearances.

From elegance to style, every member has left a lasting impression during the festive season, even the little royals!

This year, due to COVID-19, the monarchy’s holiday engagements are bound to be pared back. But never fear, the Christmas celebrations from years past more than make up for what will likely be a slightly less festive season.

It’s time to take a festive trip down memory lane and have a peek into the royal family's Christmas photo album. Scroll on to some of our favourite pics...

william and kate
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Spreading the Yuletide cheer, the Cambridges hosted a party for military families in 2018.

archie christmas card
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Little Archie sure stole the show as the Sussexes celebrated their first Christmas as a family of three last year.

prince william
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Prince William dressed up for the occasion back in 1987, even donning a helmet!

princess charlotte
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Princess Charlotte was cute as a button, mesmerised by a candy cane at the 2016 church service.

beatrice and eugenie
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Princess Beatrice and Eugenie clearly made Santa's nice list in 1997. The sisters left the Sandringham church service laden with presents.

george 2019
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One must put one's muscles into it! William, the Queen and Charles watched George make a pudding in 2019.

camila
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Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, invited sick kids to meet one of Santa's reindeers in 2019. Aww!

diana
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At a 1992 gala, Princess Diana studiously avoids disguised pollies' Jeffrey Archer and Denis Healey's presence.

kate 2019
Getty

The Duchess of Cambridge jollied along preschool kids picking out a special tree last year.

queen elizabeth
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The Queen delivering her Christmas message in 2014, cuts a festive figure.

prince harry nativity play
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Prince Harry in character as a shepherd for a nativity play in 1988.

princess elizabeth 1943
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In 1943, Princess Elizabeth boosts wartime morale on the home front, assuming the title role in panto production of Aladdin at Windsor castle, opposite her sister, Margaret.

eugenie, beatrice and their mum sarah
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Eugenie, Beatrice and their mum, Sarah, Duchess of York, put in their requests to Santa at a charity bash back in 1999.

william and harry 1990
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In 1990, William and Harry took Saint Nick's sleigh for a spin. "On Dasher, on Dancer..."

princess elizabeth cards for soldiers
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Young Princess Elizabeth sent cards for Christmas in 1942 to Grenadier guards fighting in World War II.

prince charles christmas lights
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He comes bearing light in 2006, the village of Ashover in Derbyshire invited Prince Charles to turn on their Christmas lights.

the queen 2014
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Her majesty received posies from one of Santa's helpers at the 2014 Christmas Day service.

prince harry troops
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No white Christmas here! Prince Harry donned Mrs Claus braids and a Santa hat while serving with troops in Afghanistan in 2012.

meghan nursing home
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'Tis the season... to give back. Meghan made decorations with nursing home residents in London's Twickenham in 2018. Bless!

camila 2012
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Camilla inspects Father Christmas' cheery transport upgrade in 2012

camila and charles christmas card 2017
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Charles and Camilla's 2017 Christmas card adorned their glittering tree at Clarence house

prince william 1997
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Prince William accepted gifts from a myriad of well wishers as he arrived at the Christmas service in 1997.

queen, prince andrew and edward
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The Queen reads with her sons, Princes Andrew and Edward, as part of her Yuletide message to her beloved Commonwealth in 1971.

charles 2012
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Better not pout, Charles - Santa's about! He and Camilla met the jolly old fellow before turning on the lights in Cornwall in 2012

charles, diana and william
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Charles and Diana doted on wee William, celebrating his first Christmas in 1982. Aww!

queen and mother 1998
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The Queen and the Queen mother were rockin' around the Christmas tree at Buckingham Palace in 1998.

queen's address in 1952
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No nerves here! The Queen was a picture of poise while delivering her inaugural Christmas broadcast in 1952.

camila
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Camilla seemed to be giving this portly gentleman quite a ticking off at a horsey event in 2012. Bah, humbug - but one is amused!

bauble
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There's no mistaking whose bauble this is - it's her tree's crowning glory!

queen decorating tree
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The Queen gets into the spirit in 2018, adorning a public tree in London.

diana 1987
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Always a royal rebel, Diana ditched the traditional red and green dress code for the 1987 Church service at Windsor castle.

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