\u201cDuring the night, we would all get to chat to the family to get to know them a bit better.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of the staff would be given a gift from the King, which would be divided out at Highgrove the day following the party.<\/p>\n
A 2022 Christmas card from King Charles and the Queen Consort, the first during his reign as monarch. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cPreviously, I was given salt, pepper and mustard cruets, tea cups and saucers, water glasses, water jugs, trays, tea plates and glasses. Most of them were decorated with the Prince of Wales\u2019 feathers.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the first few years that I worked at Highgrove, we also got a Christmas pudding from the King.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen the King got around to doing his Christmas cards, we all got a hand-signed Christmas card from himself and Camilla.\u201d<\/p>\n
Staff from different royal residences would attend the party at St James\u2019 Palace, where they would enjoy a lavish dinner and special entertainment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you walked up the stairs into one of the big rooms, you\u2019d be greeted by people serving,\u201d Stooks said. \u201cYou\u2019d be offered something to drink on arrival and then all of the staff would mingle together.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou might see people that you know from the office or other areas of Highgrove, and you\u2019d all go and join in and chat to everybody.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere would be a magician and they would go around doing card tricks with everyone or pretending to take someone\u2019s watch.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would then be called in for dinner, which would be seated. There was lots of glassware on the table and we were given a Christmas cracker that would have something like the Prince of Wales\u2019 feathers on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere would also be entertainment at the dinner, like Omid Djalili the comedian or Alfie Boe.\u201d<\/p>\n