December 4, 2025 • 10 mins
From a twenty-foot Nordmann fir glittering in St George’s Hall to recycled tinsel, charity stockings made from old Sandringham curtains and a special Radio 4 appearance by the King from Dumfries House, we take you inside the Royal Household’s Christmas season. We revisit the royal family’s Sandringham traditions, from Christmas Eve gifts and church at St Mary Magdalene to black-tie dinners and cards signed months in advance, and look at how King Charles the Third is blending sustainability with nostalgia. Then we track a busy second day of the German state visit, from quiet reflection at the Tomb of Queen Elizabeth the Second to Guildhall banquets, school visits and speeches at Westminster – a reminder of how royal Christmas pageantry and quiet diplomacy now sit side by side.
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Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.
Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.
👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 is fully available now for everyone. Season 2 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 2 BEFORE REGULAR LISTENERS as a subscriber! Hit that "UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING" Banner on the top of the Apple player. AND listen to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now.
👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conversation on Facebook and Instagram or click the links to start your royal journey!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Calarogu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I'm
your host, Mark Francis. The Royal Household has unveiled this
year's Christmas decorations, with Windsor Castle once taking center stage again.
Catherine Jones of the Royal Collection Trust says the state apartments,
with their soaring ceilings and gilded finishes, were designed as
(00:26):
magnificent backdrops for ceremony and entertaining, making them ideal for
the annual transformation. In Saint George's Hall, the traditional twenty
foot Nordman fur sourced from Windsor Great Park now stands
in place, dressed with around three thousand lights and oversized ornaments.
As Jones explains, some of the foil decorations we use
(00:48):
on Saint George's whole trier fifty centimeters or more in diameter.
It's about a foot and a half and many of
the baubles are larger than footballs. A balcony and even
a small cherry are needed to reach the topmost branches.
Sustainability remains a priority under King Charles, with decorations re
used and rotated between residences. The decorations are recycled and
(01:11):
reused as much as possible, Jones notes, adding that even
tinsel is now sourced in recycled and recyclable form. She
also explains that early royal decorations weren't preserved, as many
were either replaced when worn or edible in the nineteenth century.
Windsor's festive atmosphere owes much to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert,
who helped popularize the Christmas tree in Britain. Royal commentator
(01:34):
Katie Nichols says it really comes into its own and
it's just magical for the public Christmas time. Visitors can
also see garlands along the grand staircase, wreaths throughout the grounds,
and the miniature decorations added last year to Queen Mary's
celebrated Doll's House, including a tiny Christmas tree topped with
a partridge. Beyond Windsor, the Palace of Hollywood House in
(01:54):
Edinburgh has again been richly decorated the towering firs in
the Throne Room and great while Sandringham's private celebration focuses
on more traditional family ornaments. At Clarence House, Queen Camilla
continues her custom of inviting children from charities to help
decorate the tree, assisted last year by her equerry, Major
oli Plunkett, who used his military sword to place their
(02:16):
chosen ornaments. The tree featured in last year's Christmas broadcast,
recorded at London's Fitzerovia Chapel, was adorned with sustainable decorations
before being donated to Royal Trinity Hospice. A new addition
for twenty twenty five is a seasonal shop at the
Royal Meuse at Buckingham Palace, offering festive treats, decorations and gifts,
(02:37):
including botanical gins sourced from Royal estates and crystal pieces
inspired by Queen Victoria's tableware. The Royal family's Christmas routine
is built on long standing custom, with many traditions continuing
unchanged following the death of Queen Elizabeth. Each December, the
Windsor's gather at Sandringham for several days of private and
public festivities, ranging from black tie dinners to spirited games
(03:01):
of charades. One of the earliest events of the season
is a Christmas luncheon for the Wider family. For many
years it was hosted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace,
though King Charles and Queen Camilla have recently shifted the
gathering to Windsor Castle. Royals also spend the season supporting charities,
with senior figures hosting parties and in the Princess of
Wales's case, a carol service. Holiday cards remain a fixture too,
(03:25):
Queen Elizabeth was known for sending several hundred each year,
often beginning the signing during her summer stay at Balmoral.
The family's holiday base is the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
William and Harry once played at Christmas Eve football match
with staff there Team William and Aston Villa colas Team
Harry and Arsenal Gear, though Prince Harry now there was
in the United States with his family and is not
(03:46):
expected to attend. The Royals also maintain a long standing
commitment to giving back, with annual donations to local charities
and Christmas trees provided to major churches in London and
Edinburgh in years part as the official website notes, churches
and schools in the Sandringham area would also receive a
tree from Her Majesty. Christmas Eve brings a formal dinner,
(04:09):
previously accompanied by Queen Elizabeth's preferred cocktail, the Zaza. Prince
Harry recalls in Spare that mills were held at a
long table covered with white cloth and white name cards.
The same evening features the family's gift exchange, a nod
to their German heritage. As Harry wrote, we were at
Sandringham in the big room with a long table covered
with white cloth and white name cards. Suddenly everyone began
(04:32):
opening at the same time, free for All royal residences
are decorated extensively. Buckingham Palace traditionally displays three fir trees
in the Marble Hall, while Sandringham features both a large
Christmas tree and a silver artificial one, historically decorated with
the help of the youngest family members. Even corgy ornaments
(04:52):
have been known to make an appearance. Christmas morning sees
the family attend church together at Saint Mary Magdalene on
the Sandringham estate, followed by lunch and the customary game
of charades. The day ends with the annual broadcast, a
tradition begun in nineteen fifty two. Since nineteen fifty seven
it has been televised, and the family typically watches the
(05:12):
King's Address together. A set of old curtains from one
of the royal Residences has been given a new lease
of life as a festive Christmas stocking for a charity fundraiser.
Members of a sewing group at Dumfries's House in Ayrshire
have turned the former Sandringham House drapes into twenty five
handmade stockings in time for the holiday season. The sewing
(05:34):
Bee meets weekly at the historic estate, which is closely
linked to the royal family and now operated by the
King's Foundation. In recent months, their sessions have been devoted
to cutting, stitching and embellansing the curtain fabric as part
of the charity project. Twenty four of the individually numbered
stockings are now being auctioned to support the King's Foundation work,
(05:55):
while the final stocking will be presented to the King
as a personal Christmas gift. Each stocking required more than
six hours of work using techniques including hand embroidery, piping
and careful scene matching. The initiative reflects the Foundation's mission
to teach and preserve traditional craftsmanship and heritage skills. Christine
(06:16):
Wilson and Andrea Middlemiss joined the Sewing Bee without any
prior experience. Wilson, a retired finance officer, has been part
of the group since it launched in twenty sixteen. Middle
Miss said it's an honor to be doing it because
of the curtains, because of where they've come from and
the story behind it, and the thought that they've been
hanging up in this palace for goodness knows how long.
(06:36):
The King's Foundation twenty twenty five Christmas charity auction runs
until five pm on Friday, December twelfth. The BBC has
confirmed that the King will make a special appearance on
Radio four and the days before Christmas. On December twenty third,
the network will broadcast a bespoke edition of This Natural
Life from Dumfries's House in Ayrshire, featuring the Monarch as
(06:58):
a guest contributor. The broadcast will also include conversations with students,
young people and staff involved in the outdoor education programs
based on the estate. While walking through the arboretum, the
King reflects on the origins of his love for the
natural world and touches on subjects ranging from rural skills
and marine conservation to the art of topiary and the
(07:18):
satisfaction of using a pair of secateurs. Following the recording,
Martha Kearny said it was great to see the King
so relaxed in a place which means so much to
him and where he puts his philosophy of nature into practice.
More palace in just a moment. Hey, you know you
can get rid of all those commercials with a subscription
(07:40):
to Kellerroga Shark Media. That's right. You can get this
show and hundreds of others commercial free. Every Royal show
we do commercial free. All you do is hit that
button up top there on the Apple Play that says
listen uninterrupted, and for four ninety nine a month you
can get all the shows commercial free, along with special
bonuses like getting full seasons of our shows before they
(08:02):
are released to the public. So we thank you for
your support. Get yourself a Christmas present. It is a
busy day for the German State visit, with President Frank
Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elkie bunden Bender undertaking a
series of significant engagements across Windsor, London and Coventry. The
day begins a Windsor Castle, where the President and First
Lady will make a private visit to Saint George's Chapel
(08:24):
to lay flowers at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth. It's
a quiet moment of remembrance marking the late queens enduring
importance to both nations. The couple will then rejoin the
King and Queen at Windsor for a reception highlighting the
work of volunteers across the UK. The event is held
in partnership with the Big Help Out and showcases the
positive impact community service continues to have in talents and
(08:46):
cities nationwide. Following the reception, their majesties will accompany the
President and First Lady to view the State Sleigh, the
ornate winter carriage created by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria.
The sleigh, first recorded in the Queen's Diary and forty five,
is a reminder of the royal family's long German connections,
including Christmas traditions introduced by both Queen Charlotte and Prince Albert.
(09:09):
With those joint engagements completed, the King and Queen will
take their leave while the President and First Lady continue
their program in London. They will visit Westminster Abbey to
lay a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Warrior
before the President delivers remarks to assembled Parliamentarians at the
Palace of Westminster. The President will also meet members of
the German community in the UK at the German Embassy,
(09:31):
while Miss bunden Bender, a former judge, will join the
Lady Chief Justice at Royal Courts of Justice for a
discussion on women in law. Later, the couple will undertake
engagements at Bobby Moore Academy and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
followed by a visit to the VNA Storehouse. And this evening,
the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence will
represent the Royal family at a formal banquet at guild
(09:54):
Hall hosted by the Lady Mayor in the City of
London Corporation. The President and First Lady will attend is
the honored guests, bringing the second day of the state
visit to a close. And there you have it. You'd
like to email us or address is the Palace Intrigue
at gmail dot com. And by the way, Friday, Saturday
and Sunday on our later Palace Intrigue episodes, we're counting
(10:18):
down the top twenty five Royal stories of twenty twenty five.
You don't want to miss that one. I'm Mark Francis
my thanks to John McDermott. This is palace intrigue and
good terms
Calarogu Shark Media. Hello and welcome to Palace Intrigue. I'm
your host, Mark Francis. The Royal Household has unveiled this
year's Christmas decorations, with Windsor Castle once taking center stage again.
Catherine Jones of the Royal Collection Trust says the state apartments,
with their soaring ceilings and gilded finishes, were designed as
(00:26):
magnificent backdrops for ceremony and entertaining, making them ideal for
the annual transformation. In Saint George's Hall, the traditional twenty
foot Nordman fur sourced from Windsor Great Park now stands
in place, dressed with around three thousand lights and oversized ornaments.
As Jones explains, some of the foil decorations we use
(00:48):
on Saint George's whole trier fifty centimeters or more in diameter.
It's about a foot and a half and many of
the baubles are larger than footballs. A balcony and even
a small cherry are needed to reach the topmost branches.
Sustainability remains a priority under King Charles, with decorations re
used and rotated between residences. The decorations are recycled and
(01:11):
reused as much as possible, Jones notes, adding that even
tinsel is now sourced in recycled and recyclable form. She
also explains that early royal decorations weren't preserved, as many
were either replaced when worn or edible in the nineteenth century.
Windsor's festive atmosphere owes much to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert,
who helped popularize the Christmas tree in Britain. Royal commentator
(01:34):
Katie Nichols says it really comes into its own and
it's just magical for the public Christmas time. Visitors can
also see garlands along the grand staircase, wreaths throughout the grounds,
and the miniature decorations added last year to Queen Mary's
celebrated Doll's House, including a tiny Christmas tree topped with
a partridge. Beyond Windsor, the Palace of Hollywood House in
(01:54):
Edinburgh has again been richly decorated the towering firs in
the Throne Room and great while Sandringham's private celebration focuses
on more traditional family ornaments. At Clarence House, Queen Camilla
continues her custom of inviting children from charities to help
decorate the tree, assisted last year by her equerry, Major
oli Plunkett, who used his military sword to place their
(02:16):
chosen ornaments. The tree featured in last year's Christmas broadcast,
recorded at London's Fitzerovia Chapel, was adorned with sustainable decorations
before being donated to Royal Trinity Hospice. A new addition
for twenty twenty five is a seasonal shop at the
Royal Meuse at Buckingham Palace, offering festive treats, decorations and gifts,
(02:37):
including botanical gins sourced from Royal estates and crystal pieces
inspired by Queen Victoria's tableware. The Royal family's Christmas routine
is built on long standing custom, with many traditions continuing
unchanged following the death of Queen Elizabeth. Each December, the
Windsor's gather at Sandringham for several days of private and
public festivities, ranging from black tie dinners to spirited games
(03:01):
of charades. One of the earliest events of the season
is a Christmas luncheon for the Wider family. For many
years it was hosted by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace,
though King Charles and Queen Camilla have recently shifted the
gathering to Windsor Castle. Royals also spend the season supporting charities,
with senior figures hosting parties and in the Princess of
Wales's case, a carol service. Holiday cards remain a fixture too,
(03:25):
Queen Elizabeth was known for sending several hundred each year,
often beginning the signing during her summer stay at Balmoral.
The family's holiday base is the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
William and Harry once played at Christmas Eve football match
with staff there Team William and Aston Villa colas Team
Harry and Arsenal Gear, though Prince Harry now there was
in the United States with his family and is not
(03:46):
expected to attend. The Royals also maintain a long standing
commitment to giving back, with annual donations to local charities
and Christmas trees provided to major churches in London and
Edinburgh in years part as the official website notes, churches
and schools in the Sandringham area would also receive a
tree from Her Majesty. Christmas Eve brings a formal dinner,
(04:09):
previously accompanied by Queen Elizabeth's preferred cocktail, the Zaza. Prince
Harry recalls in Spare that mills were held at a
long table covered with white cloth and white name cards.
The same evening features the family's gift exchange, a nod
to their German heritage. As Harry wrote, we were at
Sandringham in the big room with a long table covered
with white cloth and white name cards. Suddenly everyone began
(04:32):
opening at the same time, free for All royal residences
are decorated extensively. Buckingham Palace traditionally displays three fir trees
in the Marble Hall, while Sandringham features both a large
Christmas tree and a silver artificial one, historically decorated with
the help of the youngest family members. Even corgy ornaments
(04:52):
have been known to make an appearance. Christmas morning sees
the family attend church together at Saint Mary Magdalene on
the Sandringham estate, followed by lunch and the customary game
of charades. The day ends with the annual broadcast, a
tradition begun in nineteen fifty two. Since nineteen fifty seven
it has been televised, and the family typically watches the
(05:12):
King's Address together. A set of old curtains from one
of the royal Residences has been given a new lease
of life as a festive Christmas stocking for a charity fundraiser.
Members of a sewing group at Dumfries's House in Ayrshire
have turned the former Sandringham House drapes into twenty five
handmade stockings in time for the holiday season. The sewing
(05:34):
Bee meets weekly at the historic estate, which is closely
linked to the royal family and now operated by the
King's Foundation. In recent months, their sessions have been devoted
to cutting, stitching and embellansing the curtain fabric as part
of the charity project. Twenty four of the individually numbered
stockings are now being auctioned to support the King's Foundation work,
(05:55):
while the final stocking will be presented to the King
as a personal Christmas gift. Each stocking required more than
six hours of work using techniques including hand embroidery, piping
and careful scene matching. The initiative reflects the Foundation's mission
to teach and preserve traditional craftsmanship and heritage skills. Christine
(06:16):
Wilson and Andrea Middlemiss joined the Sewing Bee without any
prior experience. Wilson, a retired finance officer, has been part
of the group since it launched in twenty sixteen. Middle
Miss said it's an honor to be doing it because
of the curtains, because of where they've come from and
the story behind it, and the thought that they've been
hanging up in this palace for goodness knows how long.
(06:36):
The King's Foundation twenty twenty five Christmas charity auction runs
until five pm on Friday, December twelfth. The BBC has
confirmed that the King will make a special appearance on
Radio four and the days before Christmas. On December twenty third,
the network will broadcast a bespoke edition of This Natural
Life from Dumfries's House in Ayrshire, featuring the Monarch as
(06:58):
a guest contributor. The broadcast will also include conversations with students,
young people and staff involved in the outdoor education programs
based on the estate. While walking through the arboretum, the
King reflects on the origins of his love for the
natural world and touches on subjects ranging from rural skills
and marine conservation to the art of topiary and the
(07:18):
satisfaction of using a pair of secateurs. Following the recording,
Martha Kearny said it was great to see the King
so relaxed in a place which means so much to
him and where he puts his philosophy of nature into practice.
More palace in just a moment. Hey, you know you
can get rid of all those commercials with a subscription
(07:40):
to Kellerroga Shark Media. That's right. You can get this
show and hundreds of others commercial free. Every Royal show
we do commercial free. All you do is hit that
button up top there on the Apple Play that says
listen uninterrupted, and for four ninety nine a month you
can get all the shows commercial free, along with special
bonuses like getting full seasons of our shows before they
(08:02):
are released to the public. So we thank you for
your support. Get yourself a Christmas present. It is a
busy day for the German State visit, with President Frank
Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elkie bunden Bender undertaking a
series of significant engagements across Windsor, London and Coventry. The
day begins a Windsor Castle, where the President and First
Lady will make a private visit to Saint George's Chapel
(08:24):
to lay flowers at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth. It's
a quiet moment of remembrance marking the late queens enduring
importance to both nations. The couple will then rejoin the
King and Queen at Windsor for a reception highlighting the
work of volunteers across the UK. The event is held
in partnership with the Big Help Out and showcases the
positive impact community service continues to have in talents and
(08:46):
cities nationwide. Following the reception, their majesties will accompany the
President and First Lady to view the State Sleigh, the
ornate winter carriage created by Prince Albert for Queen Victoria.
The sleigh, first recorded in the Queen's Diary and forty five,
is a reminder of the royal family's long German connections,
including Christmas traditions introduced by both Queen Charlotte and Prince Albert.
(09:09):
With those joint engagements completed, the King and Queen will
take their leave while the President and First Lady continue
their program in London. They will visit Westminster Abbey to
lay a wreath at the grave of the Unknown Warrior
before the President delivers remarks to assembled Parliamentarians at the
Palace of Westminster. The President will also meet members of
the German community in the UK at the German Embassy,
(09:31):
while Miss bunden Bender, a former judge, will join the
Lady Chief Justice at Royal Courts of Justice for a
discussion on women in law. Later, the couple will undertake
engagements at Bobby Moore Academy and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
followed by a visit to the VNA Storehouse. And this evening,
the Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Lawrence will
represent the Royal family at a formal banquet at guild
(09:54):
Hall hosted by the Lady Mayor in the City of
London Corporation. The President and First Lady will attend is
the honored guests, bringing the second day of the state
visit to a close. And there you have it. You'd
like to email us or address is the Palace Intrigue
at gmail dot com. And by the way, Friday, Saturday
and Sunday on our later Palace Intrigue episodes, we're counting
(10:18):
down the top twenty five Royal stories of twenty twenty five.
You don't want to miss that one. I'm Mark Francis
my thanks to John McDermott. This is palace intrigue and
good terms
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