The Royal family has loads of family traditions, and that certainly applies when it comes to Christmas. While some of them are what you would expect from Royalty, others are a bit bizarre. Like how the family weighs themselves before and after Christmas lunch.
It’s speculated that this tradition dates back to the reign of Edward VII, who was King from 1901-1910. “Edward wanted to ensure his guests were fed well and any visitors to Sandringham were required to sit on the device and be weighed upon arrival and departure to see if they had put on pounds during their stay,” The Mirror states.
The family tradition has been held at the Sandringham Estate since 1988, as the place of gathering for the holidays, and it seems that during the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign, she asked her guests to adhere to the tradition. As the family prepares for their first Christmas without Her Majesty, there is some curiosity as to whether or not Kind Charles will carry the torch.
Maybe this is one that could fall by the wayside?
Celebrations start on Christmas Eve when they gather in the white drawing room to exchange gifts and decorate their insanely fancy Christmas tree together.
According to Royal historian Kate Williams, she shares, “It’s quite set, it’s quite formal. It’s looked pretty much the same since the Queen’s youth. You arrive when told to arrive… There are quite a lot of different dresses required — change for church, change for dinner.”
Gifts are placed on trestle covered in white linen, and they enjoy tea, scones, and sandwiches before getting ready for the formal dinner, and gifts are exchanged that evening. If you’re wondering what anyone could possibly buy a Queen or King, it is said that the former Queen enjoyed practical gifts. Christmas day starts with a bowl of fruit and a full stock at the foot of everyone’s bed, and the rest of the day is focused on their royal duties. They attend church at St. Magdalene’s Church in Sandringham, then greet the public before heading to their annual turkey lunch.
This is the lunch where they get weighed, and with good reason — it’s a huge feast. While the family relaxes, The reigning monarch delivers a Christmas Speech to the public, which is televised.
It’s easy to see how this Royal weighing tradition hasn’t spread. Getting on a scale twice publicly in a single day doesn’t seem like the most fun.
