Fit for the Queen! Windsor Castle’s Drawing Room and St George’s Chapel are decked out with 20ft Nordmann Fir trees from Windsor Great Park – complete with crown baubles
- Staff at Windsor Castle decorated the Queen’s Berkshire home for Christmas
- A 20 foot Nordmann Fir tree from Windsor Great Park has been erected
- Trees decorated in both the St George’s Hall and The State Dining Room
The royal family have officially kicked off the festive season, with staff erecting trees at Windsor Castle in Berkshire today.
Opulent pictures show the traditional 15ft Nordmann Fir trees from Windsor Great Park being placed in the castle’s Crimson Drawing Room and a 20ft version in St George’s Chapel.
Staff have decorated the grand trees with red and gold baubles, even adding miniature crowns and festive finery set with silver-gilt pieces from the Grand Service to the mix.
Seen climbing ladders to reach the top of the trees, which stand in the grand rooms of the Queen’s weekend palace – home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle among others – the festive additions make the perfect jovial centre piece.
The royal family have officially kicked off the festive season, with staff erecting trees at Windsor Castle today. Royal Collection Trust members of staff put the finishing touches to a 15ft Christmas tree in the Crimson Drawing Room at Windsor Castle, Berkshir
A Royal Collection Trust member of staff puts the finishing touches to a 20ft Nordmann fir tree, sourced from the Windsor Great Park, in St George’s Hall at Windsor Castle, Berkshire
A crown decoration hangs from 20ft Nordmann Fir tree from Windsor Great Park in St George’s Hall which has been decorated for the Christmas period
The Christmas decorations have become an annual attraction at the castle.
Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert first bought a 26 ft Nordmann Fir over from Germany to deck Windsor Castle.
George’s IV’s mother Queen Charlotte famously decorated her home with yew, which used to be the traditional Christmas tree before fir trees were popularised by Prince Albert in the mid-19th century.
A memoir of Queen Charlotte, published in 1819, recalls how ‘in the middle of the room stood an immense tub with a yew-tree placed in it.’
It details how the branches were adorned with: ‘bunches of sweetmeats, almonds, and raisins, fruits and toys, most tastefully arranged, and the whole illuminated by small wax candles’.
Opulent pictures show the traditional 15ft Nordmann Fir trees from Windsor Great Park being placed in the castle’s Crimson Drawing Room
Employees pose with a 20ft Nordmann Fir tree from Windsor Great Park in St George’s Hall which has been decorated for the Christmas period
While the Queen is expected spend time at Windsor Castle throughout December the royal does not traditionally spend Christmas at her Berkshire home.
The royal family join the Queen and Prince Philip at their Sandringham residence from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day and everything from their arrival time to when they eat breakfast, walk the dogs, sit down to lunch and retire to bed is strictly timetabled. Even lunch on Christmas Day is pencilled in for just 50 minutes.
This year the Sussexes are not planning to spend Christmas with the rest of the royal family.
Over three days, the royals celebrate a deeply traditional Christmas with a personal touch including ‘cheap and cheerful’ gifts given on Christmas Eve and a liking for charades.
A Royal Collection Trust member of staff puts the finishing touches to a 20ft Nordmann fir tree, sourced from the Windsor Great Park
Queen Victoria’s husband Prince Albert first bought a 26 ft Nordmann Fir over from Germany to deck Windsor Castle
Staff from Windsor castle, adjust decorations on a Christmas tree in the Crimson Drawing room at the castle during a media preview in Windsor
Prince Philip leads the family on the 330-yard walk to the 16th Century church of St Mary Magdalene on Christmas morning. The Queen, however, is driven. The service is always about 45 minutes, the Queen having received Communion privately in the morning.
The Royals enjoy bespoke Christmas crackers made by Dorset company Celebration Crackers. Everyone wears paper hats except the Queen. Party games are popular, as are cards.
For lunch on Christmas Eve, the men wear suits and the women wear smart silk dresses, but they change into black tie and glamorous gowns for dinner. It’s the one time the women wear their most expensive jewellery and almost all wear tiaras.
On Christmas Day, they come down for breakfast dressed in their church outfits – usually a day dress or a smart suit with pearls for the women. For the traditional walk to church, the men don warm overcoats.
The Christmas decorations have become an annual attraction at the castle
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