The Kids’ Table at the Royal Family Christmas May Be Bigger This Year & It Would Be a Major Change to Tradition
According to a new report, the guest list for the royal family Christmas gathering is ready! And while Santa may not be checking it twice, people are certainly doing a double take. King Charles III is seemingly inviting the family of his wife Queen Camilla to the annual celebration.
Yup! In a rather historic move, Camilla’s children — Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes — her grandchildren, her sister, and other family members have been offered a seat at the table. Having such a new plan is in stark contrast to the longstanding tradition of the immediate royal family walking to church at St. Mary Magdalene on Christmas Day and then enjoying a festive lunch together.
“The guest list of those attending Christmas lunch back at Sandringham House is being radically altered — and will include many members of Queen Camilla’s family for the first time,” said Chris Ship, royals editor for ITV.
Prior to Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles’ coronation, Camilla would leave the royal family’s Christmas celebration in the afternoon and spend the rest of the holiday with her family elsewhere. But now — if all goes according to the alleged plan — Prince George, 10 Princess Charlotte, 8 and Prince Louis, 5 will have more seatmates at the kids’ table.
After all, their stepgrandmother has five grandkids. Her son Tom is dad to teens Lola, 16 and Freddy, 13 who he shares with wife Sarah Parker Bowles. Meanwhile, Camilla’s daughter Laura shares Eliza, 15 and twins Louis and Gus, 14 with husband Harry Lopes.
That brings the table count up to 10! It’s unlikely that Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet will be at the table since their parents, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, haven’t spent the holiday with the royal family since 2018. And while King Charles’ niece Princess Eugenie is invited to the celebration, it’s unknown if her young kiddos — August, 2 and Ernest, 5 months — will stay for the meal. If they’re anything like their cousin Prince Louis, they’ll be adorably bored by the pomp and circumstance — no matter how merry and bright.