Who Is Joining King Charles For Christmas At Sandringham?

Every year, the inner circle of the British royal family gather at Sandringham Estate for Christmas. Celebrations are set to be particularly big this year, with King Charles revealing he has invited a whopping 45 guests to join him and Queen Camilla for a festive extravaganza. So who made the cut for 2024?

The 2024 Royal Christmas Guestlist

King Charles discussed his Christmas plans during a visit to meet soldiers and their families in Wiltshire last week. ‘We’ll be in Norfolk, at Sandringham,’ said the monarch. ‘We’ll be 45 for Christmas. It won’t be quiet, it will be noisy.’ This comes after a tough year for the royal family: the King has spent the year battling cancer, while the Princess of Wales is currently recovering from preventative chemotherapy treatment. 

While the full guestlist hasn’t been revealed, there are rumours about who is likely to attend. All the regulars will be there, including Prince William, the Princess of Wales and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Speaking at a visit to the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment earlier this year, William said he’s looking forward to seeing everyone ‘in the same room’ considering how ‘spread out’ the family usually is.

(C) The Royal Foundation, BBC Studio and ITV

Also expected are Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and their children. 

It’s thought some of Camilla’s family will be joining the party too, including her son Tom Parker Bowles and his children: Lola and Freddie. Laura Lopes, Camilla’s daughter with her first husband Andrew Parker Bowles, is also expected to attend, along with her husband and three children. 

Sandringham

The King’s brother Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, have stepped in to help with public engagements following Charles and Catherine’s cancer diagnoses, and they could well be heading to Norfolk for the Christmas break, too.

Other potential guests include:

• Zara and Mike Tindall, and their three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas
• Peter Phillips, Isla Phillips, Savannah Phillips, and Harriet Sperling
• Lady Margarita Armstrong-Jones and the Earl of Snowdon
• Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, and their children, Wolfie and Sienna

Who Won’t Be Attending The Royal Christmas?

Royal sources told the BBC Prince Andrew will ‘honourably withdraw’ from Christmas at Sandringham to avoid being a distraction. This comes after an alleged Chinese spy, linked to the prince, was named following a High Court judgement.

It’s also unlikely Harry and Meghan will be hopping on a plane for a British Christmas. They haven’t joined in the Sandringham festivities since moving to the US and made the decision to step back as royals. It’s thought they’ll spend the holidays at their home in California, along with their children Archie and Lilibet.