Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip may be planning to celebrate the holidays quietly this year, but their holiday decorations are anything but paired down
While the holiday season may be a little different this year for most families around the world—including the royal family—Queen Elizabeth hasn't let that stop her from decorating Windsor Palace to the nines.
The Christmas display at Windsor Castle, where Her Majesty be spending the holiday this year instead of her usual trip to Sandringham House in Norfolk, features a 20-foot-high Norway Spruce tree, taken from Windsor Great Park, that has been dressed with “ hundreds of iridescent glass and mirrored ornaments,” according to The Royal Collection Trust.
“Staff helped decorate this 20-foot Norwegian Spruce for the Queen and Prince Philip’s first Windsor Christmas since 1987,” Royal Reporter, Omid Scobie explained in a tweet. “The tree in St George’s Hall (where the Sussexes had their wedding reception) joins five others, including three mini trees in the Queen’s gallery.”
The State Dining Room has also been decorated with silver-gilt pieces from the Grand Service, which was commissioned by George IV and is still used to this day by the Queen and her guests during State Banquets.
The festive Christmas display at Windsor Castle, including the massive Norway spruce tree in St. George’s Hall, will be available for visitors to see in-person through to January 4, 2021 by The Royal Collection Trust.
Thankfully, there will also be a virtual holiday event for those who wish to participate in the festivities from the safety of home. The free online lecture, held by The Royal Collection Trust curators, will take guests on a trip through time while examining the history of royal festive celebrations live from the famous Christmas tree in St. George’s Hall in Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
For more information or to book your own festive holiday tour, either in-person or virtually, be sure to visit the official Royal Collection Trust website.