The festive season at Britain's royal palaces has officially begun, with Windsor Castle unveiling its spectacular Christmas displays for 2025. The centrepiece is a breathtaking 20-foot Nordmann fir tree that dominates St George's Hall, requiring an astonishing 3,000 lights and decorations including baubles larger than footballs to achieve its majestic appearance.
A Sustainable Royal Celebration
Under the watchful eye of King Charles, environmental considerations have become central to the royal Christmas preparations. Kathryn Jones, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts at Royal Collection Trust, reveals that sustainability is a major priority. "The decorations are recycled and reused as much as possible," she explains. "We switch decorations between the residences to provide variety, and we source recycled and recyclable tinsel made in the UK."
The selection process for the magnificent trees begins as early as September, with installation taking place in November. By choosing trees directly from Windsor Great Park, the royal household can guarantee they select healthy specimens that create the perfect festive backdrop against the gilded ceilings and magnificent architecture of the state apartments.
Historical Traditions Meet Modern Innovations
Windsor Castle's association with Christmas celebrations dates back to the 12th century, but it was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in the mid-1800s who truly established the castle as the heart of royal festive traditions. "They celebrated Christmas together there and the popularisation of the Christmas tree in Britain is largely due to them," says Kathryn.
This year, visitors can admire not only the main tree in St George's Hall but also beautiful garlands lining the Grand Staircase and festive wreaths adorning gates and lampposts throughout the grounds. The Crimson Drawing Room features another impressive tree, continuing the tradition of multiple spectacular displays throughout the castle.
Special Touches Across the Royal Residences
Beyond Windsor, other royal residences are preparing their own distinctive festive displays. At the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the wood-panelled Throne Room forms the centrepiece with two magnificent 12-foot trees, while a 15-foot Nordmann fir transforms the Great Gallery.
A particularly charming addition continues at Queen Mary's dolls' house, where miniature decorations including a 45cm-tall model Christmas tree with a hand-painted partridge and golden pears proved so popular last year that they're being displayed again. The dolls' house contains works from over 1,500 artists, craftspeople and manufacturers, making these tiny festive additions particularly special.
Meanwhile, at Clarence House in London, Queen Camilla maintains her tradition of inviting children and their families to help decorate the tree in the property's library. Last year, her equerry Major Ollie Plunket used his military sword to hang decorations chosen by children supported by Helen & Douglas House and Roald Dahl's Marvellous Children's Charity.
For those seeking royal-inspired gifts, a new pop-up Christmas shop at Buckingham Palace Royal Mews offers seasonal treats including gins infused with botanicals from the grounds of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, along with decorations based on The Guard Mouse children's book recently republished by the Royal Collection Trust.
As royal correspondent Katie Nicholl observes, "Windsor Castle really comes into its own and is just magical for the public at Christmas time. Although the royal family are more focused on Sandringham for their own festivities, Windsor is where visitors get to see the trees and decorations in all their glory."
