How Royal Family mark New Year from pheasant shoot to mystery 'lucky dip'
Many families have their own traditions at New Year’s Eve, whether it is “first footing” in Scotland, or the giving of salt, silver, coal and bread in Wales. The Royals are no exception, and they have a set of their own new year traditions they follow.
This will be the second year with King Charles heading up the family’s new year celebrations following the death of the Queen in September 2022. The occasion is marked at Sandringham House with the family leaving Buckingham Palace for the Norfolk estate just before Christmas. Family who were unable to make it to Christmas at Sandringham would be invited to spend New Year’s Eve with her instead.
It is believed the Queen normally remained at Sandringham after Christmas, until the anniversary of the passing of her father - King George VI - on 6 February. The Queen was just 25 years old when her father, the former monarch, passed away at the royal estate aged 56 - she was famously on a royal tour in Kenya when she got the tragic news.
The royals place a bigger emphasis of Christmas than New Year’s Eve according to former press secretary to the late Queen, Charles Anson. “[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 told the Independent. “When they’re up at Balmoral at the summer period, the Queen always gives a dance with a lot of Scottish reels. But that’s more of an autumn event - the Ceilidhs at Balmoral.”
The Queen used to hold a small party at the estate where everyone would stay up until midnight, including all the staff. The author Brian Hoey wrote in his book, At Home with the Queen, that another tradition included playing “lucky dip” on New Year’s Eve. The game saw staff bring in a tub, filled with sawdust and hidden pieces of paper, with predictions for the new year written on them.
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Then on New Year’s Day itself the family would attend church at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham. Then the rest of the day is reportedly spent horseback riding, pheasant shooting and other outdoor activities. The Prince and Princess of Wales have opted to miss these celebrations in the past, choosing instead to spend New Year’s with Kate Middleton ’s parents on occasion. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have also not been present since stepping down form their Royal duties in 2020.
Covid restrictions and the Queen’s ailing health saw the usual traditions cancelled in the years leading up to her death. But King Charles re-ignited the new year traditions last year with a return to the Sandringham House tradition. Charles and Camilla kicked off 2023 with a visit to St Mary Magdalene Church, keeping alive his mother’s time-honoured ritual.
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