10 years ago today …
Even then, the Royals celebrated Christmas without Prince Philip
Christmas in Windsor looks different in 2011: Prince Andrew, Prince William, Prince Charles, Duchess Catherine, Duchess Camilla and Prince Harry are walking together to the Christmas service in Sandringham Church.
© Chris Jackson / Getty Images
This year the British royals, especially Queen Elizabeth, celebrated Christmas with a little less ease. Not only the ongoing pandemic and the events of the past few months are overshadowing the royal family, the death of Prince Philip also leaves a large void. However, it is not the first Christmas that the Royal Family has to celebrate without him.
“On the Friday (December 23rd) before Christmas, Prince Philip suddenly had to be hospitalized with chest pain and even had an operation there immediately. The doctors had found a clogged coronary artery,” wrote GALA on December 27, 2011. “For the first time He has not been able to spend Christmas with his family for 55 years. “
Christmas without Prince Philip
While the sprightly Royal was allowed to leave the clinic one day after the Christmas holidays, this year the sad certainty is that he will not pull up in the passenger seat of a Range Rover with a perky saying for the waiting photographers at the Queen’s seat in Sandringham .
Prince Philip, † 99, left a big void in the Royal Family with his death in April 2021. This is also more than clear in the monarch’s Christmas speech this year. “For me and my family, even if a familiar smile is missing this year, Christmas will be a joy because we have the opportunity to reminisce,” said the 95-year-olds touching words.
Duchess Catherine celebrated her first Christmas with the Royals
In these difficult times, her children and grandchildren are a great support. Today this includes Duchess Catherine, 39. She celebrated Christmas with the Royals for the tenth time this year. While today, as a mother of three, she has her hands full with the preparations, wish lists and her royal duties, she made a stylish debut as a new wife at Williams’ side.
Christmas in Windsor looks different in 2011: Prince Andrew, Prince William, Prince Charles, Duchess Catherine, Duchess Camilla and Prince Harry are walking together to the Christmas service in Sandringham Church.
© Chris Jackson / Getty Images
“She took part in the Windsors’ Christmas marathon that year – and she did pretty well,” wrote GALA at the time. “In a plum-colored coat with a matching headdress, she once again proved during an official visit to the church that she has a nose for putting herself in the limelight without going too far out of line with the royals, who are eager for understatement.”
Christmas greeting with an important message
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Kate has remained true to her classic style to this day. But apart from that, things are different about this Christmas party. Going to church together was canceled and the celebrations did not take place in Sandringham as usual due to the ongoing pandemic. Instead, Queen Elizabeth and her relatives stayed in Windsor. As a precaution, she is said to have stayed away from the Christmas service in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. One can only hope that in the coming year, the year of her 70th jubilee on the throne, she will be able to celebrate the festive season with more ease.
Source used: archive, own research