Expect 'emotional' Christmas for royals with 'tears' shed, says King Charles III's butler

Grant Harrold said the family will continue Christmas traditions at Sandringham as Queen Elizabeth II would have wanted.

The British Royal Family is in for a sad Christmas following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, according to a former butler of King Charles III.

Grant Harrold claimed that the family's first Christmas without Her Majesty would be an "emotional" one despite reports that it would have a wider circle of royal guests, including Queen Consort Camilla's own children, Tom and Laura.

He told the Mirror, "I think for them it will (be) very emotional this year and I've no doubt there are tears that will be shed on the day or the night before because they will be remembering her."

But Harrold is also certain that it would be "a fun time for the youngsters" and that it "would also carry on how the Queen would have wanted it to." He believes that the royal family will keep up with Christmas traditions at Sandringham, including gift giving, attending mass together on Christmas morning, and the family Christmas luncheon with all the trimmings.

Speaking about how King Charles III will keep up the practices, he explained "Knowing what the King is like, I think he will try to mirror everything that has been done in the past."

Harrold does not think that the monarch will stay in Sandringham until February like Queen Elizabeth II used to do to mark her father's death. He thinks that the King's schedule may not allow it.

He wondered, "It will be interesting to see what happens this year for New Year, whether the King stays in Sandringham like the Queen used to do or whether he keeps up the tradition of going up to Scotland. He may feel he should stay at Sandringham because that is what the Queen did, but then he loves Scotland like his mother did."

The royal family would also be incomplete amid reports that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be joining them in Sandringham. The couple is expected to spend Christmas in their Montecito mansion in Santa Barbara, California with their children Archie and Lilibet, and the duchess' mum Doria Ragland.