The Very Unusual Royal Tradition Prince William and Kate Have to Follow on Christmas Morning
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The British royal family has some quirky traditions—and apparently, one of them dictates that men and women eat separately on Christmas morning.
In case you’re unaware, Christmas is usually quite the busy holiday for the royals. From sending out cards to decorating their homes with lavish trees, the royals love to go all out for the holiday. Once Christmas Day rolls around, family members traditionally spend their time at Sandringham House, attending a church service at St Mary Magdalene, followed by a lively game of charades after lunch.
But according to former royal chef Darren McGrady, Christmas morning is usually subject to a gender divide, which means Prince William and Princess Kate will be sipping their coffee in separate rooms.
“On Christmas Day, the ladies generally opt for a light breakfast of sliced fruit, half a grapefruit, toast, and coffee delivered to their rooms—the Queen’s tray is delivered at exactly 9:00 a.m.,” McGrady told the Daily Mail in 2017. “The male royals, meanwhile, come downstairs to the dining room for a hearty breakfast at 8:30 a.m., with eggs, bacon and mushrooms, kippers, and grilled kidneys, to set them up for the 11:00 a.m. church service at St Mary Magdalene. When they return, it’s straight into pre-lunch drinks.”
Sounds like old-fashioned gender separation to us, but as the Mirror notes, this tradition may have arisen because women were taking more time to get ready in the morning, which would explain why they ate breakfast in their rooms.
Either way, Christmas Eve is usually the most intimate time for the family, as this is when they exchange gifts and enjoy a nice dinner together (perhaps even with a glass of the late Queen Elizabeth’s favorite drink, a “Zaza,” in hand).
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