Each December, the British royal family gathers at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk for a Christmas celebration. Like with their dinner parties and their signatures, the Windsors maintain a rigorous schedule of customs—some dating back to Queen Victoria’s reign, others rooted in German royal tradition. Here are the lesser-known protocols that define a royal Christmas.

The Royals Arrive in Order of Seniority

You can’t just show up to royal Christmas whenever your flight lands. Protocol dictates that family members arrive at Sandringham in reverse order of importance, with the most junior royals appearing first and the most senior—now King Charles and Queen Camilla—arriving last. This hierarchical system ensures the monarch doesn’t have to wait around for anyone.

They Get Weighed Before and After Dinner

Every guest at Sandringham must step on antique scales upon arrival and again after Christmas dinner. The practice dates to King Edward VII, who wanted proof his guests had properly indulged in the lavish multi-course feast, ideally gaining at least three pounds. Queen Elizabeth II maintained the tradition throughout her reign, though it famously distressed Princess Diana, who reportedly dreaded the weigh-in and asked to be excused from participating. Despite its controversial nature, the custom persists as a bizarre measure of holiday success.

They Open Gifts on Christmas Eve—and They’re Terrible

The royals exchange presents on December 24th, not Christmas morning, following a German tradition called Heiligabend Bescherung. Around 70 family members gather at teatime, locating their designated spots along a white-clothed trestle table laden with wrapped packages. The gifts must be cheap and funny, designed to provoke laughter rather than impress. Past winners include Princess Anne giving Prince Charles a leather toilet seat, Princess Diana presenting Sarah Ferguson with a leopard-print bath mat, and Prince William wrapping slippers printed with his grandmother’s face for Queen Elizabeth. Prince Harry described the gift exchange in his memoir Spare as “a free-for-all” once everyone rips into their presents simultaneously.

Charades Are Non-Negotiable

After the King’s televised Christmas address airs at 3 p.m. (pre-recorded weeks earlier), the family gathers for afternoon tea featuring Christmas cake, chocolate yule log, mince pies with brandy butter, scones, and sandwiches. Then comes the main event: a mandatory game of charades that no one is permitted to skip. According to reports, the Windsors take their charades seriously. The evening continues with additional games including jigsaw puzzles or movies projected onto a screen in the ballroom. A formal dinner buffet is served at 8:15 p.m., featuring stuffed boar’s head, ox tongue, roasted hams, salmon, and game.

Breakfast Is Segregated by Gender

Christmas morning at Sandringham enforces traditional gender divisions. The men convene in the dining room at 8:30 a.m. for a full English breakfast—eggs, bacon, mushrooms, kippers, and grilled kidneys. Meanwhile, the women receive continental breakfasts in their rooms around 9 a.m., consisting of fruit, toast, and coffee. The reason for keeping couples apart on Christmas morning remains rooted in longstanding royal protocol. After breakfast, everyone gathers to attend the 11 a.m. church service at St. Mary Magdalene, the sixteenth-century church on the Sandringham estate that was originally visited by Queen Victoria.

The Christmas Decorations Stay Up Until February

While most people take down their trees by the end of December, the Queen kept Sandringham’s Christmas decorations up until February 6th. The date marks the anniversary of her father King George VI’s death at Sandringham in 1952, when she was just 25 years old.

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