The British royal family is also the head of the Church of England. This makes the Christmas holiday a big deal. Queen Elizabeth established holiday traditions for her family that King Charles has largely kept in place during his reign. The extended family travels to Sandringham House in Norfolk, opens presents on Christmas Eve, and attends church on Christmas morning at St. Mary Magdalene Church.
The service the royals attend is public so there are not matching family pajamas to be seen. Instead family members have another opportunity to show off their festive fashion. Here are the 10 most memorable holiday outfits from the Windsors over the years.
Queen Elizabeth's orange jacket
Queen Elizabeth dons red in 2019
Queen Elizabeth was back to her old ways in 2019. She sleighed in a all red with a touch of black on her hat. One can infer this was an outfit that would make Taylor Swift proud. The American singer has spent some time in London after all.
Princess Diana’s veil in 1993
Traditionally veils are seen at weddings or conservative religious ceremonies, but they can also just be a fun fashion choice. Princess Diana proved this with her holiday outfit in 2015. She wore a red coat with a black hat and see-throw veil. The pearl drop earrings added even more flair.
Meghan Markle’s first Christmas service
Meghan Markle went all out for her first Christmas with the royals. She wore a $1,495 coat by Sentaler. It looked similar to one wore by Diana in 1982. Meghan tied together her ensemble with brown suede boots and a matching hat. The cherry on top was her Chloé bag.
Kate Middleton rocked plaid in 2017
It’s not a competition, but Kate would not be upstaged in Meghan’s first year. She wore a festive red-and-green plaid coat by Miu Miu. The black fur hat complemented the outfit nicely.
Prince William and Kate Middleton coordinated their family’s outfits in 2023
It’s fair to say one of Kate Middleton’s favorite designers is Alexander McQueen. Christmas morning services in 2023 gave her the perfect occasion to don his bright blue coat dress. She accessorized with a matching blue fascinator. She paid tribute to William’s mum by wearing her sapphire drop earrings.
Kate didn’t stop there. She got the whole family in on the action with their holiday outfits. Prince William and Prince George wore navy suits, while Princess Charlotte opted for a forest green coat. Prince Louis tied them all together with his green-and-blue plaid pants.
Meghan Markle supports designer friend in 2018
For Meghan’s second royal family Christmas, she supported her friend Victoria Beckman by wearing a black dress and coat designed by the former Spice Girl. She rounded out her holiday outfit with a hat designed by Philip Treacy, boots by Stuart Weitzman, and a Chloé bag. Prince Harry also wore black to coordinate with his wife. His blue tie added a pop of color to the duo.
