A glimpse at how the royal family celebrated Christmas through the ages
A new Royal Collection book will examine how festive royal customs became part of British life.
The festive traditions of the royal family from favourite Christmas cuisine to touching personal gifts are to be explored in a new book.
A Royal Christmas, published by the Royal Collection, looks back at how Britain’s royalty has celebrated through the generations.
Queen Victoria’s Christmas fare in 1899 was printed on an elaborately decorated menu, written in French and headed “Her Majesty’s Dinner”.
King George IV was partial to a plum broth on Christmas Day, made using large quantities of port, brandy, madeira, sherry and claret, while medieval monarchs dined on roast swan and gilded peacocks.
Henry II ate boar’s head, pickled in brine and stuffed, braised and roasted, at his Christmas banquets.
Royal gifts detailed in the book include a jewelled brooch, given to Queen Victoria by husband Prince Albert in 1841, which featured an enamel miniature portrait of their first child, Victoria, Princess Royal, in the guise of a cherub.
As well as handmade cards by Queen Victoria’s children, the book includes Christmas cards by the Windsor generation of royals featuring photographs of a young Princess Elizabeth, now Queen, and her sister Princess Margaret.
They are pictured performing in Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin and Old Mother Red Riding Boots, an original combination of the best parts of different pantomimes.
A Royal Christmas is available from October 18 from royalcollection.org.uk/shop and Royal Collection shops for £9.95, and at various bookshops for £12.95.
