How the royal family spends New Year's Day following 'tradition' on NYE
The royals ring in the new year in SandringhamWe know that the royal family spends Christmas at Sandringham, but what do they do for New Year’s Eve and Day?
From a New Year’s Eve tradition to pheasant shooting and going to church, here’s a closer look at what the royals may do to ring in the new year.
How does the royal family spend New Year’s Eve?
Every year, the royal family heads to Sandringham in Norfolk to spend Christmas together.
When Queen Elizabeth II was alive, she would spend Christmas at Sandringham and wouldn’t leave until February 6, the anniversary of her father’s death.
However, whilst Christmas is huge for the royals at Sandringham, there is less emphasis on the New Year.
Charles Anson, former press secretary to the late queen and the royal family, shared some details whilst speaking to The Independent in 2022.
“[There is] a long tradition of Christmas and party games – and things like charades have always been popular with the queen – that started during the war when they were holed up at Windsor and couldn’t go out because of the air raids,” he said.
2023 saw King Charles and Queen Camilla ring in 2024 with a visit to St Mary Magdalene Church for a service on New Year’s Eve, switching things up slightly yet still honouring one of Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved traditions.
The royals on New Year’s Eve and Day
Every year for New Year, the queen would reportedly host a small party on the estate for herself and her family. She would make sure that all the family in attendance would stay up until midnight.
According to royal author Brian Hoey, the royals had one tradition on New Year’s Eve called Lucky Dip. This game would see them pluck hidden pieces of paper from a tub of sawdust. The papers would have predictions for the new year written on them.
On New Year’s Day, the royal family usually attends a church service.
Speaking about how the royals would spend New Year’s Day, former royal butler Grant Harrold told Smooth Spins Casino: “I’d love to say that they had something different, but it’s a whole repeat of what they have on Christmas Day. New Year’s for the royal family was the same thing, they would have roast turkey, roast veg, and they would even have Christmas pudding again.
“The same with mince pies and all the chocolate. It was literally the same menu for New Year and the same buffet in the evening, too.”
He added: “The royal family weren’t snackers in between meals or after meals. They always had a bowl of fruit in their room. The queen would have her chocolate, she loved Bendicks chocolates. They were her favourite chocolates, and she would have a box of them in her room all the time, so she could have a nibble on those.”
William and Kate ‘skip’ New Year with the royals
Other royal traditions on New Year’s Day reportedly include some outdoor activities. However, not all the royals stick around for the New Year’s Day celebrations.
Prince William and Princess Catherine sometimes miss the celebrations to spend their New Year’s Day with her family in Berkshire.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have also, of course, missed the last few New Year’s Day celebrations with the royals due to now living in the US.
Wonder how they’ll mark the New Year this year…
Read more: Queen Elizabeth II’s heartbreaking words about husband Philip in her final Christmas speech
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