Photos of Christmas at Windsor Castle Through the Years

1845Heritage Images//Getty Images

An mid-19th century illustration by English artist and lithographer Joseph Nash depicts Queen Victoria’s Christmas tree at Windsor Castle, capturing the royal holiday tradition as it appeared during her reign.

1941Heritage Images//Getty Images

Pantomimes were a popular holiday tradition, at least at one point in time among the royal family. Here, Princess Elizabeth plays Prince Florizel with Princess Margaret as Cinderella in their Christmas performance of Cinderella.
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1943getty images//Getty Images

Margaret and Elizabeth perform in their own Christmas pantomime of Aladdin, while celebrating the holidays at Windsor during the war.

1944Lisa Sheridan//Getty Images

The York princesses wear evening gowns for the royal Christmas pantomime Old Mother Red Riding Boots.

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1960Mirrorpix//Getty Images

Prince Charles stands on the East Terrace at Windsor Castle on Christmas Day after the morning service at St. George’s Chapel, joined by members of the royal family including James Ogilvy, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones (now Lady Sarah Chatto), the Earl of St. Andrews, Lady Helen Windsor, Viscount Linley, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, and Prince Edward.

1969Bettmann//Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are shown putting finishing touches to a Christmas tree during the filming of the joint ITV-BBC film documentary, The Royal Family.

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1970Keystone//Getty Images

The Queen Mother smiles at her granddaughter, Princess Anne, while Prince Charles glances back at the chapel.

1980Tim Graham//Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth, followed by the Queen Mother, walk down the steps of St. George’s Chapel, where the royals would attend Christmas Day services for the better part of the 1980s.

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1984Steve Wood//Getty Images

The extended royal family exits St. George’s Chapel after Christmas Day services.

1987Julian Parker//Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip lead the royal family to Christmas Day services at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor, which appears to have been one of the last times they spent holidays there before permanently decamping for Sandringham.

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1987Tim Graham//Getty Images

Princess Margaret was effortlessly elegant, even on her way to church.

1987Julian Parker//Getty Images

A very young Prince William leads the way with his cousins Zara Phillips, Peter Phillips, and Lord Frederick Windsor (and his mother dressed in bright yellow in the distance) on the way to Christmas Day services.

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1987Julian Parker//Getty Images

The Duchess of Kent looks very festive all in red as she joins the royal family for Christmas at Windsor.

1987Princess Diana Archive//Getty Images

Princess Diana seen holding the hand of a young Lady Rose Gilman (née Windsor) after leaving St George’s Chapel.

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1987Julian Parker//Getty Images

Then-Prince Andrew and the then-Duchess of York also attend Christmas Day services.

2009Awakening//Getty Images

The State Dining Room table arranged for a festive Victorian dessert course.

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2011Steve Parsons – PA Images//Getty Images2013Steve Parsons – PA Images//Getty Images

The table is laid with silver-gilt from the magnificent Grand Service in the Waterloo Chamber.

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2016Yui Mok – PA Images//Getty Images

Royal Collection Trust staff members put the finishing touches to the Grand Staircase of the State Apartments.

2017Jack Taylor//Getty Images

A Royal Collection Trust member arranges the table in the State Dining Room, which has been decorated for the holiday season with silver-gilt pieces from the Grand Service.

Rachel King (she/her) is a news writer at Town & Country. Before joining T&C, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at Fortune. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in Forbes, Observer, Robb Report, Cruise Critic, and Cool Hunting, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at @rk.passport.

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