What Do The Royal Family Eat On Christmas Day?

Whether it’s having smoked salmon and eggs for breakfast or mixing up some pre-lunch cocktails, all families have their own Christmas food and drink traditions. But what does the festive table look like for the Royal Family? Will King Charles and Queen Camilla be eating roast turkey this year? What does a royally-approved cheeseboard look like? And does the day end with tucking into some chocolate on the sofa like the rest of us? We’ve done some digging to find out what the royals eat for Christmas.

Royal Family Christmas: What’s On The Menu?

Every year, the Royal Family spend Christmas at Sandringham Estate. Apparently this year’s invitations have already gone out – and the 2024 event is looking like a particularly large affair, with reports suggesting around 100 guests are expected. 

Alongside the inner circle, the 2024 guestlist reportedly includes Queen Camilla’s children and her grandchildren; Princess Beatrice, who will debut her new daughter Sienna; Princess Anne and her children; and Peter Philipps and Zara Tindall, along with their children. However, sources say Prince William and Princess Kate will stay nearby at Anmer Hall this year and host their own Christmas event – though this is all merely rumours. What we do know, though, is what’s likely to be on the menu.

Sandringham

Christmas Eve

Like for many of us, the festivities at Sandringham begin on Christmas Eve. The tighter family enjoy afternoon tea while they exchange presents, ahead of a formal dinner – in his memoir, Harry describes how the family dines at a ‘long table covered with white cloth and white name cards’. This is typically a six-course affair, with a black-tie dress code.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who cooked for the family for around seven years, said this would usually involve ‘a fish course, salad and then often venison from the Sandringham Estate.’ Pudding, meanwhile, would be tarte tatin, or ‘chocolate perfection pie’ – a favourite of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Christmas Day Breakfast

According to McGrady, Christmas Day for the Royal Family begins with an old-fashioned tradition, which sees the men and women eating separately. The men are served a full English featuring eggs, bacon, kippers and mushrooms, while the women are said to enjoy a ‘light breakfast of sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast and coffee’, delivered to their rooms. Different family members have their own quirks though: apparently Charles always likes a pair of freshly poached plums from Highgrove, alongside muesli, dried fruits and honey.

Christmas Day Lunch

The royals’ Christmas lunch is a traditional roast with all the trimmings, historically served at 1.15pm sharp. ‘They’re actually boring when it comes to festivities,’ said McGrady. ‘They didn’t do hams or anything, just traditional turkeys. We did three turkeys for the Queen and her family in the royal dining room, one for the children’s nursery and then more for the 100 or so staff, so everyone had a Christmas lunch.’

McGrady said the meal would usually include ‘turkey, different stuffings – sage and onion, chestnut – and the traditional sides like roast potatoes, mash potatoes, parsnips and Brussels sprouts’, followed by Christmas pudding for dessert.

No doubt King Charles will have introduced some of his own traditions too. The monarch is passionate about organic farming, so it’s likely the menu will feature organic produce, with a focus on seasonal, local ingredients – in line with his environmentally-minded ethos. ‘The King will definitely insist on organic food,’ said McGrady. ‘He’ll also want local, indigenous produce which is in season rather than shipped in. So there will be no strawberries on the menu on Christmas Day.’

Afternoon Tea

There’s no grazing on leftovers in the royal household: instead the family enjoy afternoon tea, ahead of an evening buffet of cheeses, crackers, meats and more. In the past, this would involve a whole foie gras en croute from Harrods, but King Charles has now banned foie gras in all royal residences.