Christmas at the Castle! See Windsor Castle's Décor for First Holiday Season of King Charles' Reign
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Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via ZUMA Press Christmas at Windsor Castle
Deck the halls — Windsor Castle is ready for Christmas!
On Thursday, one month to the day before Christmas Eve, the Royal Collection Trust unveiled the gorgeous Christmas décor in the state apartments of Windsor Castle. Visitors can tour the ornate displays throughout the British royal family's ancestral home, which has been bedecked for the first holiday season of King Charles III's reign.
Guests will feel the spirit upon arrival, with foliage and wreaths fastened to gates and lampposts throughout the grounds. The Grand Staircase of the state apartments has been laced with garland, unmissable before moving into St. George's Hall. The festive focal point of the Christmas presentation is displayed there — a 20-foot Nordmann Fir tree, sustainably grown nearby in Windsor Great Park and shimmering with hundreds of ornaments.
November 24, 2022, Windsor, UK: Members of the Royal Collection Trust staff put the finishing touches to a Christmas tree in the Crimson Drawing Room, during a photo call for Christmas decorations at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (Credit Image: © Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via ZUMA Press) Christmas at Windsor Castle
One tree just wouldn't be enough for the cavernous castle, and another evergreen rises in the Crimson Drawing Room, which visitors can explore along with the Semi-State Rooms. The impressive Waterloo Chamber is also dressed up for Christmas, with an elaborate display of Royal Collection items arranged on a table.
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Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via ZUMA Press Christmas at Windsor Castle
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Though Windsor Castle's holiday decorations will remain until Jan. 2, 2023, three days in December will have an extra festive touch to a visit. On Dec. 8, 9 and 12, carolers will perform at the tree in St. George's Hall (where Meghan Markle and Prince Harry had their royal wedding reception and introduced their son Archie, now 3, to the world!).
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Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via ZUMA Press Christmas at Windsor Castle
Meanwhile, the Palace of Holyroodhouse — the British monarch's royal residence in Scotland — is also inviting the public to join in its Christmas cheer after decorations are unveiled on Dec. 1. Just like at Windsor, the Great Stair of the state apartments will glow with a sparkling garland, and two huge Christmas trees will be displayed in the Throne Room and Great Gallery. Time turns back in the Royal Dining Room, where the table is set with a silver service given to Queen Elizabeth II's grandparents King George V and Queen Mary for their Silver Jubilee in 1935, among ivy and candelabra.
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Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via ZUMA Press Christmas at Windsor Castle
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The upcoming holidays will feel different for the royal family as the first without Queen Elizabeth, who died in September. While the palace has yet to publicize King Charles' plans for Christmas, the royal family traditionally gathers for the holiday at Sandringham, the late Queen's beloved country estate in Norfolk.
