Hello, royal observers. This is your regular dose of royal news and analysis. Are you reading this on the Internet? Register here to receive it in your inbox.
The royal family gathers for Christmas celebrations. However, the ceremony will continue to feature concerns for King Charles' health as his cancer treatment continues, and a notable absence due to the high-profile controversy surrounding an alleged Chinese spy.
News broke on Friday that Charles, who was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year, will continue treatment into 2025.
“His treatment is heading in a positive direction and the course of treatment will continue next year,” a source from Buckingham Palace tells Reuters.
A palace source said there had been no change in Charles' health and the news that treatment would continue in 2025 did not constitute any significant update.
But his pre-Christmas schedule showed he was determined to stay busy. His events culminated on Friday with a visit to the London borough of Walthamstow, which held a large counter-demonstration in August in response to nationwide unrest.
During the visit, Karol was asked how he was feeling. He replied jokingly, “I'm still alive.” Sky News reported.
Justin Vovk, a royal commentator and professor of history at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, says royal officials “continue to remain silent” on Charles' cancer issue, but “the fact that he continues to engage in public appearances means that his health condition is at least somewhat under control.”
For Charles, continuing to focus on his public duties seems to be a priority.
“For the Royals, it's part of their core values,” Vovk said in an interview Friday.
“The job is about going out and meeting people, interacting with people.”
It's been a difficult year for the Royals Prince William called it 'brutal' – because both his father, Charles, and his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales, had been diagnosed with cancer.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, says in a video released by Kensington Palace on Monday that the last nine months have been “extremely difficult” for her family, but she is now in a “new phase of recovery” after completing chemotherapy, which should allow her to participate in some public events in the coming months.
Catherine announced that she had completed preventive chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer in late summer.
Since then, she has gradually returned to public duties, rarely appearing at high-profile events.
Catherine's announcement about ending her treatment appeared in the film, and a photo from the film appeared on her family's Christmas card this year.
She also hosted the fourth annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in London on December 6. The service will be televised in the UK on Christmas Eve.
William, Catherine and their children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – along with other members of the royal family are expected to celebrate Christmas at Charles' Sandringham Estate northeast of London. They were not present at the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace this week and according to media reports they were already at their country house near Sandringham.
Family members' Christmas morning walk to and from church is closely watched for who is present – and who is not – as well as who walks next to whom and what this may say about family relationships.
There is one notable absence expected this year – Charles's younger brother, Prince Andrew.
This was reported by the British media this week Andrew won't be at Sandringhamand he he did not attend the pre-Christmas lunch at Buckingham Palace among allegations of close friendship with an alleged Chinese spy.
This is the latest example of controversy caused by his associations. His reputation fell like a stone ANDand stepped back from public royal duties following a disastrous 2019 BBC interview about his friendship with the recently deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
However, he still attended important royal family events, so his absence from Christmas events this year is noticeable.
This absence is not surprising, however, said Vovk, for whom it is a family decision.
“Many people, myself included, predicted that since (Queen Elizabeth) died we would see less and less of Andrew,” Vovk said.
“It happened a little slower than I expected, but given all the controversy, all the drama surrounding Prince Andrew, and the very clear desire of the King and the Prince of Wales to distance themselves from… this taint of scandal, as the monarchy has always done… I'm not at all surprised that they didn't include it there.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and their children, who live in California, are also expected to be absent from the royal Christmas celebration.
Harry and Meghan released a Christmas card this week it included a photo of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet running towards their parents. It was a rare, public viewing of photos of children that were kept out of the public eye.
“When we look at Harry's upbringing and the undeniable trauma he has endured… for me it's a natural decision,” Vovk said, noting that they both wanted to protect their children from too much media attention.
In the card, Vovk also saw an attempt to “very deliberately control or create an image around them of being a happy family, a united couple and more accessible to the public.”
He also noticed the contrast with the image on the card of William and Catherine.
“It is one of the most informal and laid-back family portraits of any generation (of the royal family) that we have ever seen.”
The royal family's Christmas gathering at Sandringham is expected to be a big event with Prince William in attendance noting that 45 people will likely attend.
Christmas is an important time for the royal family, says Toronto-based author and historian Carolyn Harris.
“Their Christmas traditions date back to Queen Victoria's reign, including Christmas trees popularized by Prince Albert and a focus on multiple generations of the royal family celebrating family celebrations together,” Harris said via email last week.
“The royal family opens gifts on Christmas Eve, following traditions from Germany, the birthplace of Prince Albert, and Denmark, the birthplace of Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII.”
The royal couples introduced new traditions to the family Christmas celebration, including: Catherine presented Queen Elizabeth with homemade chutney from the Middleton family recipe on her first Christmas with her family, Harris said.
“While Christmas is an important family event, it is also one of the rare times when the monarch speaks directly to the public through a televised Christmas message.”
Queen Elizabeth wanted large family gatherings at Christmas, and there was speculation that smaller gatherings would be held at Christmas during the reign of Charles, who otherwise favored a lean, working royal family.
But this is not proof that this is the case. And new guests are expected this year, including Queen Camilla's son from her first marriage, Tom Parker Bowles.
Parker Bowles' presence comes as no surprise to Vovek, who notes that the makeup of the royal family is no different from many other families.
“I think many of us sometimes forget that the royal family is a blended family, that the Queen is a mother and a grandmother, and that the Sandringham Christmas gathering, while a royal event, is still technically a family Christmas tradition.” – she added. he said.
“So why shouldn't Camilla's children and grandchildren spend Christmas with their mother and grandmother?”
It should also come as no surprise, Vovk suggested, that there are changes in the royal family's Christmas traditions from year to year.
“Over time, these small ritual changes or ceremonial changes then lead to larger changes that turn over very gradually without rocking the boat too much.”
Register here to receive The Royal Fascinator newsletter in your inbox every other Friday.
I'm always glad to hear that. Send your questions, ideas, comments, opinions and notes to royalfascinator@cbc.ca. Problems with the newsletter? Please let me know about any typos, mistakes or mistakes.