The Royal Family typically spends Christmas at Sandringham, and despite being a regal residence it may not be as luxurious as everyone thinks.
Discussing the sleeping arrangements at the Norfolk house on Mail+’s Palace Confidential, Rebecca English said: ‘I’ve been told in the past that Sandringham can fit about 16 to 18 people to have a sleepover comfortably.’
Prince William revealed during a festive event for families of 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment at Picton Barracks in Wiltshire how he was looking forward to celebrating with 45 family members.
The Royals seem to have a solution for when they run out of beds and turn to the staff member’s bedrooms for assistance.
‘In fact, in previous years I’ve been told that they’ve actually had to kick staff out of their quarters,’ Rebecca revealed. ‘And Edward and Sophie were put in some of the staff quarters because they had nowhere else to stay.’
Sitting beside the Mail’s Richard Eden, Rebecca admitted: ‘It sounds more glamorous than it is’.
She added how she was told the beds ‘are like what they call “fish finger beds”‘.
The Royal Editor went on to describe them as ‘old fashioned beds with the really creaky bedsprings at the bottom’.
King Charles and Queen Camilla walking to church on Christmas Day in Sandringham with other members of the Royal Family behind them in 2023
Sandringham House, where the King typically spends Christmas with other family members
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Rebecca added, ‘they do have other properties’ including Wood Farm where guests can stay.
Earlier in the show Richard Eden explained why it is not public knowledge exactly how many bedrooms are in Sandringham house.
‘Sandringham is one of those private estates, it’s huge I mean there are about 700 homes in total on the estate, it’s massive,’ he said.
The Diary Editor added: ‘In Sandringham House itself because it’s a private residence we don’t know exactly how many bedrooms there are for example.’
Prince William remarked earlier this month at Picton Barracks, ‘no way am I ready’ for Christmas and shared he hoped to enjoy long walks with the family’s dog over the festive period.
He told one table how he was looking forward to spending Christmas with many members of his family ‘all in one room’ but ‘normally spread out’.
Richard Eden revealed, ‘there are thought to be about 30’ bedrooms in Sandringham House, and added, ‘but that means yes, there’ll be a lot of members of the Royal Family staying there this Christmas and it does mean it’s great fun’.
He said: ‘You’ve got that huge extended family opening presents together and things like that.’
The festive period for the Royals traditionally involves opening gifts on Christmas Eve, in a nod to their German origins.
Princess Kate, Prince William, Princess Charlotte, Princes George and Louis and Mia Tindall arriving to church in 2023
Kate, William, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attending the Christmas Day church service in Sandringham in 2017
Princess Anne and William greet well-wishers on Christmas Day back in 2003
The late Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother attending church on Christmas Day in 1993
They are often small and light-hearted gifts rather than flamboyant and the presents are labelled and laid out on a table for guests to open.
Harry recalled one Christmas Eve in his book, Spare, and explained how, ‘by custom, at the start of the night, each of us located our place, stood before our mound of presents.’
He described how he received a biro pen with a plastic fish wrapped around it from his great aunt Margaret but saw the gesture as ‘cold-blooded’.
Kate previously revealed how she gave the late Queen a heartfelt present of homemade chutney on her first Christmas with the Royal Family.