King Charles, at the age of 76, is making a significant change to the royal family's Christmas traditions. Hello! reported on December 16 that instead of hosting the traditional Christmas lunch at Windsor Castle for the past two years, he will now hold the event at Buckingham Palace. This switch has left many wondering about the reasons behind the sovereign's decision.

Unraveling the Mystery of King Charles' Christmas Move

Location Change and Royal Family Dynamics

Last year, on December 20, Princess Anne, Sir Timothy Laurence, Prince Andrew, Princess Eugenie, Jack Brooksbank, Prince Edward, Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, Lady Louise Windsor, Zara Tindall, Peter Phillips, and other royal family members were seen driving around Windsor on the day of the lunch. However, Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, were not spotted arriving or departing. It's possible that they had a quick commute. The Wales family moved to Adelaide Cottage on the vast grounds of Windsor Castle in 2022, relocating from London to be closer to Queen Elizabeth in her final months.King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the private family lunch together for the first time in December 2022, following his accession upon his mother's death at age 96 in September. This gathering was a revival of tradition as the occasion had been canceled in the previous two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.If King Charles hosts the holiday lunch at Buckingham Palace, it would be a poignant choice as that's where Queen Elizabeth historically held the event. She typically welcomed over 50 family members to the lunch in London, which was held about a week before she headed to Sandringham House in Norfolk for Christmas.

The Royal Family's Christmas at Sandringham

The British royals have celebrated Christmas at Sandringham for generations. Prince William and Princess Kate are set to ring in the holiday there this year after a difficult year in which both received treatment for cancer. The King's diagnosis was announced in February and his treatment is ongoing, while Princess Kate shared in March that she had cancer and announced in September that she completed chemotherapy.Several members of the royal family kicked off the holiday season by attending Princess Kate's Together at Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on December 6. King Charles and Queen Camilla skipped the event, perhaps as a gesture of respect towards the princess on her big night.

Prince Andrew and the Christmas Controversy

PEOPLE confirms that Prince Andrew and his family will not attend the time-honored walk to and from St. Mary Magdalene Church on the Sandringham estate. The Duke of York, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, their daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, and their young families will not be at the Sandringham Christmas celebrations due to scrutiny surrounding Andrew's alleged connections to a suspected Chinese spy. The York family had been expected to partake in the tradition and stay at Wood Farm at Sandringham estate last year, but plans have apparently changed. It remains unclear if Prince Andrew (who is no longer a working royal) will join the royals at the traditional Christmas lunch in light of the scandal, and Buckingham Palace had no comment.