Sit happens every year. There Ballroom dresses up for the pre-Christmas lunch organized by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. About seventy guests, including all the most important Royals, including William, Kate and their children, but also the second-class ones, distant relatives who not only have never been admitted to Sandringham Christmas, but who now, due to cuts inflicted on the costs and image of the English monarchy, no longer even have the privilege of appearing next to the king on the balcony of the royal palace. This year, however, there are notable absentees. And it’s not just Harry and Meghan.
King Charles III’s pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace
Today nephews and cousins of various degrees will sit at the table next to the king, the queen and the princes and princesses, to enjoy a lunch of various courses prepared by the Buckingham Palace kitchens. Around 50 chefs led by the trusted Royal chef Mark Flanagan. All the children – including the heir to the throne George, now 11 years old – are relegated to a separate room so as not to disturb the adults.
What’s on Buckingham Palace’s festive menu?
Carlo and Camilla insist: for the Christmas holidays only traditional British dishes are allowed on the menu. We start, therefore, with the inevitable roast turkey, with a side dish Yorkshire Puddings (a sort of souffléAnd prepared with a batter made from flour, milk and eggs), glazed carrots, Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. Finally, the typical Christmas desserts, from Christmas Pudding at Mince Piesboth made with spices and candied fruit.
Prince Andrew excluded from King Charles’ lunch
This year, however, there are some notable absentees. And the number of guests has been reduced to 50. Starting with Prince Andrew. King Charles had already refused to welcome his 64-year-old brother to Sandringham next week for the official Royal Christmas. After the serious repercussions of his relations with the pedophile Epstein, the situation for the prince has been made worse by the recent revelations about his friendship and business relations with Yang Tengbo, a Chinese 007 whom he invited several times to the palace.
Kate Middleton with her children at Sandringham, 25 December 2022 (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Sarah Ferguson also pays the price
After years of estrangement due above all to the dislike that Prince Philip recently felt for her Andrea’s increasingly loyal ex-wife he was enjoying a gradual reintegration into the court. And she had also finally been invited to Sandringham, where, according to William, 46 guests will gather next Tuesday (not all Royal: Camilla’s children and grandchildren will also be there). But the latest events involving Andrea – with whom Fergie lives despite the divorce finalized in 1996 – see her rejected again. Indeed, it seems that it was she who convinced her husband to avoid being seen at court.
The Buckingham Palace Ballroom decorated for a reception (Getty Images)
The participation of Beatrice and Eugenia is perhaps in doubt
The two princesses of York have not confirmed their presence at the pre-Christmas lunch. And for the first time they won’t even be at Sandringham, preferring to spend Christmas with their husbands’ families. However, they will make a trip to Windsor to keep their parents Andrea and Sarah company, forced to spend the holidays alone. But the decision of the two young women immediately raised suspicions: is she, by any chance, hiding an act of protest against the king?
Beatrice and Eugenie against King Charles III
According to rumors, Beatrice and Eugenia would have rebelled against Carlo’s decision to continue to ostracize Andrea. In recent years they had proven to be very faithful to the king, who would have liked to have them at court alongside him, with a permanent official role. To make him happy the two Yorks had even decided to move away from their favorite cousin, Harry. But now they remain resolute. Regarding their father Andrea, they will not compromise. And for the first time it really seems that they want to put pressure on Carlo.
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