It’s long been known that the royals exchange fun, cheap gifts with each other on Christmas Eve – rather than on Christmas Day itself.
This gift exchange is said to take place around 6pm after they enjoy afternoon tea – and in charge of proceedings used to be the late Prince Philip.
But according to royal butler Grant Harrold, who worked for Charles and Camilla for seven years at Highgrove, it may not be the only royal gift exchange of the festive season.
He believes Prince William and Kate always give each other serious Christmas presents too – and that the children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also get their goodies for Santa Claus on Christmas morning – just like other kids.
Speaking to the Mirror, he explained: “With the actual Christmas presents, I’ve been told they give fun gifts because what do you give a royal who’s got everything?
“But I also believe they also give each other nice gifts because even though they do the fun thing, the younger royals for example like William and Kate, will give each other nice gifts to each other at Christmas, I have no doubt about that at all.
“I also like to think that on Christmas Day the kids will have Father Christmas come and they will get traditional presents under the tree, I think that’s probably when you will find that’s when the serious presents will be given to each other.
“And I do think they give serious things but unfortunately I don’t know what unless we maybe see Catherine wearing some new jewellery or something like that.
“When I see her in a new necklace or something, I often wonder if it’s a Christmas gift but we never really know unless they tell us.”
Meanwhile, Grant also revealed the gifts royals buy their staff – and the jokey presents he received from his boss the now-King.
He said: “At Christmas, we would always get the famous Christmas card. Before he was married to the now Queen Consort, I remember getting Christmas cards from him, William and Harry and that was always quite special.
“The other thing he used to do is, we all used to have these pigeon holes where I’d get my post in the mornings and what he used to do at Christmas, he used to leave funny little things.
“One time he left a tin of salmon and one year I got a salt and pepper grinder wrapped in a ribbon. He had probably been given a hamper and sometimes there would be a lot in them and he would give some of the bits to us.
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“I just thought it was so bizarre because you don’t expect those little things. It shows that they’ve got that fun, practical side to them.
“But for actual proper gifts would be things like tea cups and saucers or whiskey glasses. One year I got a lovely water jug.
English