The holidays are going to be a bit different this year, as due to the coronavirus pandemic, many families are celebrating virtually instead of in-person. That includes the royals, as even Prince William and Kate Middleton are trying out digital festivities this year.
The Duchess of Cambridge’s mother, Carole Middleton, recently revealed that she won’t be able to see her grandchildren in-person during the holidays, and that instead, they’re transitioning one of their favorite traditions to video call.
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Carole shared an Instagram post via Party Pieces, the Middleton family’s party supplies and decor company, in which she explained how she’ll decorate the Christmas tree with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and her daughter Pippa’s son, Arthur, on a video call this year.
”For me, what really matters is that my family feels connected. I normally let my grandchildren help me decorate the tree. This year, I’ll ask them by video call to decide which decoration should go where,” she wrote on the post. Apparently, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have some very unique decor ideas, as she joked, “It may need to be tastefully rearranged later…!”
She added, “We may not be able to get together but, after a year like 2020, we need to remember what’s really important this Christmas.”
Two years ago, in her first major interview, Carole told the Telegraph about her love for Christmas trees, and how she puts a tree in each of her grandchildren’s rooms that they can “decorate it themselves.” Perhaps she’ll still get Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis and Arthur their own individual trees to remotely trim this year.
Prince William and Kate, who traditionally travel to their Norfolk country home, Anmer Hall, for the holidays, usually celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the royals, and then head to the Middleton family’s Berkshire home, Bucklebury Manor, afterwards.
The royal family’s Christmas celebrations are also up in the air; England is currently in the midst of its second lockdown, and Buckingham Palace hasn’t confirmed Queen Elizabeth’s plans just yet, but it seems unlikely that all the royals will be able to gather at Sandringham for their usual festivities. Perhaps the Queen will opt for an all-virtual holiday experience, too.