P.for the first time since she was a girl, Queen Elizabeth will spend the holiday season without Philip, who passed away last April. She will never be alone: children and grandchildren will take turns to keep her company during the walks – now short – with the corgi, at lunch and dinner, as well as in the many afternoon tea (five o’clock teas) scheduled for the next few weeks. But it will still be a different Christmas and the queen will have to adapt to a new dynamic in the family. Prince Philip was, in fact, always at the center of the celebrations.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, also accomplices at Christmas
The custom of everyone moving to Sandringham for the holidays was abruptly cut short last year, when Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh were forced to seclude themselves in Windsor Castle, away from the dangers of the pandemic. This year had to be different. Health problems permitting, Philip and Elizabeth would reunite the whole family on the Norfolk estate. And the prince would resume all his Christmas habits.
Philip and Elizabeth chose the Christmas tree together
Between a walk and the other in the long paths of the Sandringham estate, among the gardens personally cared for by the Duke of Edinburgh, already a few weeks before the start of the holidays Philip would have helped his wife in drafting the traditional speech that the sovereign gives on Christmas day.
Then he would accompany Elizabeth to the Christmas Tree Farm of Sandringham, to choose, as the queen does every year among the thousand trees grown on the plantation Royal, those to be erected in the rooms of the royal residence.
Prince Philip always at the head of the table
At lunch and dinner, Filippo would have been the first to comment – for better or for worse – every dish served by the valets. It was he who acted as a common thread among the guests, always willing to listen and offer advice, but also to amuse everyone with his ironic jokes, sometimes quite rude and impertinent. And knowing everyone’s tastes in terms of favorite cocktails and drinks, the prince was the master behind the bar, ready to serve his alcoholic creations for hours.
Prince Philip (right) with Elizabeth and the rest of the royal family at Sandringham, Christmas 2017 (IPA)
Queen Elizabeth stepped aside at the opening of the presents
Nothing, they say at court, thrilled Filippo like the opening of the gifts on the evening of the 24th. Starting with the arrival of the huge basket from the London department stores. Fortnum & Mason, to end up then to the piles of gifts for each Royal leaning on tables around the tree, the prince was the first to rush towards his gifts. But he was annoyed if, once opened, they didn’t respect the Windsor rule of strictly inexpensive and always bizarre gifts.
Queen Elizabeth could not keep up with her husband
On the morning of December 25, Philip was still in charge of the royal contingent on the traditional walk from Sandringham to St Mary Magdalene’s church, greeted by thousands of waiting subjects. In his recent podcast Time To Walk, Prince William said: «I have many memories of our walks. My grandfather walked so fast that he created huge empty spaces between all of us who tried to follow him with our little legs ».
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