She has rules and she sticks to them. Kate Middleton is in Sandringham, Norfolk to celebrate Christmas with her father-in-law, King Charles III, his wife, Queen Camilla, and of course her husband, Prince William, and their three children, Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte. Other members of the royal family are present, as we saw during their arrival at the Sainte-Marie-Madeleine church to attend the traditional Christmas mass this Monday, December 25.
Lunch was held immediately afterwards in the ballroom of the Sandringham Estatesince the guest list was longer than usual, with Queen Camilla’s family having been invited this year. If for these celebrations, the meal is festive, alcohol consumption remains limited. Former royal butler Grant Harrold told the magazine Hello ! that he did not have “never seen a member of the royal family drunk”. Indeed, during social events, members of the royal family hardly drink. In private, Kate Middleton would occasionally enjoy a gin and tonic. But be careful, she doesn’t drink until her children are in bed. On the other hand, Prince William brings it to him once this is the case.
The royal family consumes very little alcohol in public
Grant Harrold worked for King Charles III – who was still Prince of Wales – from 2004 to 2011. A specialist in royal etiquette, he has spent time with several members of the royal family, including Prince William, Kate Middleton and Prince Harry. Despite the royal family’s reserved nature when it comes to drinking alcohol at Christmas, he revealed that didn’t mean they didn’t have an extensive liquor collectionlikely to appear during meals or cocktails. “They always traditionally offered white wines as starters, then red wines”he explained, adding that a “dessert wine, rosé or rosé champagne”, Didn’t hurt after the main course. As for Queen Elizabeth II, he confirmed that the rumors about her drink four cocktails per day were false : “All I said was she liked gin and Dubonnet [une marque de vermouth, NDLR]. It was his favorite drink.”, he indicated. Members of the royal family therefore indulge occasionally, but for Kate Middleton, it was once their children are in bed, and it is a rule from which she does not deviate, even at Christmas.
Article written with the collaboration of 6Medias
Photo credits: AGENCE / BESTIMAGE