The holidays have historically been a happy time for the royal family, full of long-standing traditions like opening gifts on Christmas Eve at Sandringham Estate and partaking in the annual Christmas morning walk to St. Mary Magdalene church. For Princess Kate and Prince William, it’s the time of year when they retreat to their cozy country home and hunker down with their three children for peaceful walks in the woods, board games and beloved Christmas movies.
This season stands to be even more special for the Prince and Princess of Wales after an extremely tough 2024, which saw both Kate, 42, and William’s 76-year-old father, King Charles III, battle cancer (Charles continues to receive treatment; Kate announced she’s cancer-free in a September video message). “This past year has been one of the most challenging yet for [them],” royal expert Sharon Carpenter says in Us Weekly’s latest cover story. (William described it as “brutal” in a November interview.) “You can only imagine the relief and gratitude they must be feeling.” Kate couldn’t be happier to spend the next few weeks surrounded by loved ones who helped her through her darkest hours. “Kate is genuinely looking forward to joining the royal family at Sandringham for Christmas,” adds Carpenter. “The holidays will no doubt be a chance for the entire family to give thanks.”
Kate’s gratitude was on full display in a heartfelt letter she shared with guests attending her fourth annual Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey (which airs in the U.K. on December 24). The ceremony honors those who have shown “love, kindness and empathy” toward others — sentiments Kate now holds especially dear. “Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year,” the mom of three wrote. “It is a time for celebration and joy, but it also gives us the opportunity to slow down and reflect on the deeper things that connect us all. This carol service is a heartfelt celebration of every one of you,” she added, “and a reminder that at Christmas, and throughout the year, we must all shine for each other.”
Magical Time
Before joining the usual festivities with the rest of the royal family, William, 42, and Kate get into the holiday spirit with their kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6. In years past, they’ve attended school concerts and visited a local tree farm. At Anmer Hall — a five-minute drive from Sandringham — they’ll bake, write their wish lists, play games like Risk and Monopoly and watch movies (Elf is a favorite). They also hang out with Kate’s parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, both of whom provided enormous support to Kate and William during her health crisis. “Spending time with her side of the family is very important to Kate,” says Carpenter. “It’s a more private, relaxed environment away from the public eye.”
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Kate’s always been a massive fan of the holidays — but she’s even more appreciative of all the special moments after everything she’s been through. (“I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatments,” she said in her September video message, adding, “My path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes.”) In October, The King: The Life of Charles III author Christopher Andersen told Us the future queen has a new outlook on life. “[She sees] how it can change in the blink of an eye,” he said. Adds Carpenter: “One of the highlights for Kate will no doubt be watching George, Charlotte and Louis revel in the magic of Christmas.”
A Royal Celebration
The 2024 holidays will be a mix of old and new for the royal family. Guests typically arrive at Sandringham — Charles’ 20,000-acre property — on Christmas Eve, and the children put the final touches on the 20-foot tree in the White Drawing Room before everyone opens gifts laid out on a long table. In his 2023 memoir, Spare, Prince Harry recalls a “free-for-all, with scores of family members talking at once and pulling at bows and tearing at wrapping paper.”
Presents are inexpensive and often humorous. Harry reportedly once gifted his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II a shower cap that read “Life’s a Bitch,” while Charles’ sister, Princess Anne, 74, is said to have given the monarch a leather toilet seat. It’s also been claimed that before Harry met his wife, Meghan Markle, Kate presented him with a “Grow Your Own Girlfriend” kit. Later, the adults sit down for a black-tie dinner of salad and fish.
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After breakfast on Christmas Day, they head to church. In 2022, William reminisced about getting the giggles while sitting across from his cousins. “Having my cousins opposite me has always made it quite difficult to keep a straight face,” he confessed. The Palace author Gareth Russell tells Us lunch “traditionally consists of a shrimp or lobster salad starter followed by roasted turkey and all the usual trimmings, and that’s followed by Christmas pudding with brandy butter.” (Russell says Charles also preserves his mother’s tradition of sharing a glass of whisky with the chef at Sandringham.) Then, revelers gather to watch Charles’ prerecorded Christmas speech.
Carpenter says the king will be “adding some modern touches” along the way by using eco-friendly LED lights and opening up his Highgrove House (where he and Queen Camilla, 77, will stay in the days leading up to Christmas) and other royal residences to the public. “[It] will help the public feel more connected to the royals this holiday season,” she explains. Adds Russell: “I think, like so many families who’ve lost older relatives, there’s always a balance between keeping old traditions and introducing new ones.”
Family First
The guest list will likely include William’s cousins Princess Beatrice, 36, and Princess Eugenie, 34, as well as their children (Beatrice — who’s expecting a child this spring — and husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi share Sienna, 3, and Mozzi’s 8-year-old son, Wolfie, from a previous relationship; Eugenie is mom to August, 3, and Ernest, 18 months, with husband Jack Brooksbank), and their parents, Prince Andrew, 64, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, 65, who was a surprising addition in 2023 following a 30-year absence. Zara, 43, and Mike Tindall, 46 (parents of Mia, 10, Lena, 6, and Lucas, 3), and Zara’s mom, Princess Anne, are also expected to attend along with Prince Edward, 60, and Duchess Sophie, 59, and their children Louise, 21, and James, 16. (Carpenter says there are whispers Harry, 40, and Meghan, 43, and their two kids, Archie and Lilibet, “have not been invited.”)
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The focus will be on the kids. During last year’s royal walk, Prince Louis was photographed holding hands with Mia, and in 2021, William said he loves seeing the little ones bond during the holidays. “When I see my children meet up with my cousins’ children, and they all have a wonderful time playing together, it’s very special,” he explained. “I look forward to that a lot.” Carpenter adds that, given their health battles, Kate and Charles “are very much looking forward to being surrounded by family, and there will be lots of royal children in attendance bringing the kind of lighthearted, fun energy that serves as a good distraction from all the serious stuff.”
Support System
Kate has drawn strength from her father-in-law. “She shares an extra-special bond with Charles after they’ve both faced such similar health battles at the same time,” says Carpenter. “They’ve been there for each other.” Their health issues have had a unifying effect on the entire family. “Family members have done a phenomenal job stepping up to take on extra duties in their absence,” adds Carpenter. “From William burning the candle at both ends at home and at work to Queen Camilla showing the same kind of support for the king, plus the other senior royals going the extra mile to keep things running smoothly — they are all closer than ever.”
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In a Groove
Kate will enter the new year with cautious optimism. “As William said in September, there is still ‘a long way to go,’ and Kate will undoubtedly do what she [is] able to cope with comfortably,” says royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams. Adds Carpenter: “Kate is still taking things slowly during her ongoing recovery period, but it must feel wonderful to get back to doing what she loves — work-wise and family-wise.”
For more on Kate, watch the exclusive video above and pick up the latest issue of Us Weekly — on newsstands now.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
