“I remember there was a water fight going on between another member of staff and Prince William — and I was in the firing line sitting between them!”
The former butler recalled how the Firm simply likes to have fun.
He added: “It was always so festive and made you feel so involved and welcome to be a part of the celebrations.
We would always be invited to the Christmas parties within the family, which were always so exciting.”
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Kate and William are expected to celebrate Sandringham House this Christmas (Image: Getty)
At the time, the ex-royal butler described how “everyone was in fits of laughter” because of the water fight and he also mentioned how Christmas festivities would have “changed a bit” since the passing of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
This year, on December 19, King Charles hosted a pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace for wider Royal Family members having previously staged the event at Windsor Castle in 2022 and 2023.
Guests arrived en masse at Buckingham Palace in their cars, much to the delight of surprised tourists. This included the King’s younger brother, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie and their husbands, Princess Anne and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, and ‘lesser-known’ royals such as Prince Michael of Kent, the first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II.
Before the Christmas bash, it was revealed that Prince William, Princess Kate and their three children, were already in Norfolk, as had been planned, and were instead looking forward to spending time with the rest of the Royal Family at Sandringham over Christmas.
Prince William takes part in dragon boat race in Singapore
The Wales family reside in Amner Hall, their country retreat on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, where they usually spend the school holidays.
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One year, William was caught in a water fight, at a Christmas party event (Image: Getty)
Like many families around the world, the royals have their own set of Christmas customs, which include the short walk from Sandringham House to St Mary Magdalene Church on Christmas Day.
The Firm also honour their German heritage by opening presents after afternoon tea on Christmas Eve instead of on Christmas Day, which has been confirmed by Prince Harry in his memoir, Spare.
Commenting on the traditions, he wrote: “We were at Sandringham in a big room with a long table covered with white cloth and white name cards. By custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents. Then suddenly, everyone began opening at the same time. A free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper.”
Since stepping away from their roles as senior working royals in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, have not attended Christmas with Harry’s family in the UK and this year the couple is thought to enjoy the festivities in Montecito, California where they reside with their two children, Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet.
The US-based duo released a Christmas card this year, with a heartwarming message, which included a rare snap of their two children, and showcased the work they had accomplished in 2024.
