The royal couple is celebrating their first holiday season as the Prince and Princess of Wales, and they are keeping to the tradition of exchanging gifts.
The British Royal Family is very famous for their tradition of exchanging gifts with one another on Christmas Eve. This year, they will be celebrating the first Christmas without the late Queen, and the festivity is said to be the largest in recent years. Of course, the long-standing tradition of gift-giving will continue to be carried out by the royals.
The royals will go to Sandringham in a few days, packed with presents for the traditional Christmas gathering.
According to the Mirror, the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children will be staying with King Charles and Queen Camilla, and it is expected that they will exchange gifts.
The royals traditionally share amusing, inexpensive presents with one another on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas Day. After having afternoon tea, they are believed to give gifts at 6 o'clock.
Second round of gift exchange
Grant Harrold, the seven-year royal butler for Charles and Camilla at Highgrove, says there may be further royal gift exchanges during the holiday season.
According to Wales Online, Harold claims that Prince William and Kate always exchange thoughtful gifts with one another and that Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis receive gifts from Santa Claus on Christmas morning just as other children do.
He explained to the outlet:
‘With the actual Christmas presents, I've been told they give fun gifts because what do you give a royal who's got everything?’
The former royal butler continued:
‘But I also believe they also give each other nice gifts because even though they do the fun thing, the younger royals for example William and Catherine, will give each other nice gifts to each other at Christmas, I have no doubt about that at all.'
Harold continued:
‘And I do think they give serious things but unfortunately, I don't know what unless we maybe see Catherine wearing some new jewellery or something like that. When I see her in a new necklace or something, I often wonder if it's a Christmas gift but we never really know unless they tell us.'
What King Charles gave his staff for Christmas
Speaking to the Mirror, Harold also discussed the jokey gifts he got from his then-boss, the future King, as well as the gifts the royal family gives to its employees.
He said:
‘At Christmas, we would always get the famous Christmas card. Before he was married to the now Queen Consort, I remember getting Christmas cards from him, William and Harry and that were always quite special.’
The butler said that King Charles would often give him funny gifts such as 'a tin of salmon':
‘One time he left a tin of salmon and one year I got a salt and pepper grinder wrapped in a ribbon. He had probably been given a hamper and sometimes there would be a lot in them and he would give some of the bits to us.’
And according to Harold, it turns out that the royals also have that 'fun, practical side' to them:
‘I thought it was so bizarre because you don't expect those little things. It shows that they've got that fun, practical side to them.'
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