Mike Tindall has revealed the reason why Prince Louis eats Christmas lunch separately from the Royal Family. Every year, the Royal Family gathers at the Sandringham estate in Norfolk to celebrate Christmas, and festivities are steeped in both formality and charm with a few royal protocols in place.
Part of the main celebration is the grand Christmas lunch, which takes place a few days before the gathering at Sandringham and includes most senior royals. Rugby World Cup winner Tindall, who married Zara Tindall in 2011, has spent numerous Christmases with the Royal Family and shared details of what goes on on his rugby podcast ‘The Good, The Bad & The Rugby’. Princess Anne’s son in law revealed that seated at the formal table are only the senior royals and adult members of the family, but the royal children, including Prince Louis, are often hosted separately in an adjacent or nearby room to enjoy their Christmas lunch.
Chatting about the table plans during the Christmas lunch, Mike shared details of Royal festive protocol with his podcast co-stars, James Haskell and Alex Payne.
James and Alex cheekily asked: “Do you find yourself upgrading every year and getting closer to the main table or are you off out the back?”
They added: “Is there a promotion and relegation based on the year’s performance?
“Because if there is, I imagine you’re pretty much sitting on the right-hand side of Her Majesty.”
Mike explained: “This is the family lunch, there were seven tables so there must have been about 70 of us there.
“The kiddies have their own little one in a different room.”
The Tindalls are popular members of the Royal Family, thanks in large parts to the relatability and down to earth media appearances.
The couple, who share daughters Mia and Lena, and son Lucas, will mark their 15th wedding anniversary next summer.
The pair are set to once more spend Christmas at Sandringham with the King and other members of the Royal Family and will participate in the planned festivities, including the annual walk to St Mary Magdalene Church for a morning service before returning to Sandringham House for a Christmas meal.
Zara told the Daily Mail: “We are so lucky, Christmas is always amazing. We get to do a lot of fun things, and the place looks amazing. We will see everyone.”