Prince William is thinking about making some changes to how the royal family celebrates Christmas.
According to royal expert Neil Sean, Prince William wants to update some of the old holiday traditions when he becomes king.
Sean mentioned that every year, the royals have a good time giving each other joke gifts. These gifts usually cost just a few dollars, and this tradition was started by Queen Elizabeth II.
However, William reportedly wants to change this because he thinks it feels too forced. Instead, he wants to include more palace staff in the fun, so everyone can spend time together. Sources say William likes the relaxed parties that Princess Catherine’s family has, and he wants to bring that kind of family-focused, less formal atmosphere to the royal Christmas.
Another tradition that might change is the Christmas Day walk to church. While many people enjoy seeing the royal family on this walk, William apparently doesn’t like being on display on what he sees as a private day.
Sean noted that William understands that people want to see the royals, but King Charles believes it’s important for the family to connect with the public who come to see them on Christmas Day.
According to Sean, Princess Catherine agrees with King Charles about keeping the Christmas Day walk.
Another expert, Hilary Fordwich, said that William isn’t a fan of the “pecking order” when the royals exchange gag gifts. She said he wants things to be less about class and more about everyone feeling comfortable.
Fordwich also mentioned that William has already made some changes to create a more relaxed atmosphere. For example, staff at the Duchy of Cornwall don’t have to wear ties when he visits.
Sean added that William wants to make the gag gift exchange more inclusive, where everyone has a chance to pick a gift randomly.
Richard Fitzwilliams, another royal expert, believes that the tradition of joke gifts will continue, whether it’s changed or not. He said that if the royals didn’t give each other joke gifts, it would be strange, since they already have everything they could want.
However, Fitzwilliams isn’t sure about including staff in the festivities, as he thinks they might prefer to have their own free time during the holidays. He also pointed out that serving the royals requires a certain level of formality, which makes it hard to relax completely.
