Final yr marked the second yr in a row that the Queen broke her royal custom to spend Christmas away from the Sandringham property.
It was additionally the primary Christmas the royal household spent with out Prince Philip, who died in April 2021. Often, Her Majesty celebrates the festive interval in Norfolk surrounded by her prolonged household.
Nonetheless, the speedy unfold of the brand new variant of Covid-19, Omicron, affected the monarch’s plans and she or he stayed put in Windsor Citadel. She was joined by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on Christmas Day.
Whereas no lockdown restrictions have been reintroduced over the festive season, in contrast to in 2020, coronavirus circumstances within the UK proceed to rise and the prime minister has not dominated out imposing virus management measures within the coming weeks.
In consequence, the royal family remained in Berkshire to ring in 1 January as properly.
However, when the nation isn’t going through a pandemic, what does the Queen usually rise up to on New Yr’s Eve? Does she rejoice together with her household? Host a celebration? Or go for extra conventional celebrations?
What does the Queen do for New Yr?
The official royal web site, says: “The Royal Household historically spends Christmas and New Yr at Sandringham Home. The Queen’s nation property in Norfolk.”
Historically the Queen will invite relations to rejoice New Yr together with her, together with those that weren’t in a position to be part of her for Christmas.
It’s believed the Queen usually stays at Sandringham after Christmas till the anniversary of her father’s, King George VI, dying on 6 February. He died aged 56 on the royal property, when the Queen was simply 25 years previous – although she was on a royal tour in Kenya on the time.
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Charles Anson, former press secretary to the Queen and the royal household, advised The Unbiased that there’s far more emphasis on Christmas than New Yr for the royals.
Anson explains: “[There is] an extended custom of Christmas and occasion video games – and issues like charades have at all times been well-liked with the Queen – that began in the course of the struggle after they have been holed up at Windsor and couldn’t exit due to the air raids.
“Once they’re up at Balmoral on the summer time interval, the queen at all times provides a dance with lots of Scottish reels. However that’s extra of an autumn occasion. The Ceilidhs at Balmoral.”
This yr he additionally expects the household will probably be dispersed and make their very own plans inside their households.
Does the Queen have any New Yr traditions?
When the Queen is fortunate sufficient to be joined by household, she hosts a small celebration and reportedly stays up till midnight to ensure she sees within the New Yr correctly – and so does everybody else.
In his personal memoirs that contributed to the ebook, The Royals in Australia, Sir William Heseltine, the Queen’s former personal secretary, stated: “No one felt it proper to go to mattress earlier than the Queen did.”
Whereas in keeping with Brian Hoey, writer of At Residence with the Queen, Her Majesty often enjoys a sport of ‘fortunate dip’ to rejoice New Yr.
The sport is pretty easy, starting with a footman who brings in a bathtub stuffed with sawdust and hidden notes, all of which include written predictions for the approaching yr.
Her Majesty driving a horse at Windsor
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The subsequent day the Queen is up brilliant and early to attend St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, simply as she does on Christmas Day. That is the place the “Fab 4” have been pictured in 2018.
In a while New Yr’s Day it’s reported that the Queen enjoys horse-riding with the household, and there may be additionally an organised pheasant shoot – although it isn’t recognized when Her Majesty takes half.
What did the royals do in 2019 and 2020?
In 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge returned to their residence Anmer Corridor, in Norfolk, earlier than the New Yr, whereas Meghan Markle and Prince Harry spent the Christmas interval in Canada with their son, Archie Harrison.
Moreover, Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, have been absent as they travelled to Balmoral in Scotland straight after Christmas.
Final yr, the Queen stayed in Windsor Citadel over the festive interval.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
