Christmas may be a season of celebration and joy but, this year, it comes with an air of solemnity. 2020 has been a challenging year for people from all walks of life, whether they be royalty, ordinary subjects of the British crown, or be residing elsewhere in the world. From the start of the year, and since the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus in the UK, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillips retreated to their Windsor Castle home with a small batch of staff members to observe quarantine.
In keeping with the precautions ordered in place to control the spread of the second wave of coronavirus, royals are setting up a precedence for others to follow by celebrating Christmas with modesty. Unlike the past 33 years, when the entire royal family used to gather at Sandringham House at Norfolk to commemorate the Christmas celebrations and feast on the Thanksgiving dinner, this year, the tradition will be flouted.
This year, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh will spend their Christmas at Windsor Castle, and until now, no major Christmas dinners are expected to be hosted. The children and grandchildren of the monarch may come to attend to her during the holiday period, however, no schedule has yet been disclosed to the public.
Duke and Duchess of Cornwall Send Idyllic Cards!
However, not all is lost! Or at least, that is the impression being conveyed by Prince Charles, first in line to the throne after the Queen. Prince Charles is the one royal who has suffered through the year, first falling victim to the deadly virus and subjected to strict quarantine, and then losing his younger son and daughter-in-law to distance as Prince Harry decided to withdraw from all royal prestige and lead a life of normalcy. This, too, must have dealt a heavy blow to the aged father
Yet, this year Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, dispensed a note of optimism as they sent out a sweet Christmas photo. The photo locates them among a lot of flora and fauna, surrounded by colorful flowers, bees, and butterflies.
Despite a lot of adversity, the couple faced this previous year, their Christmas card photo is a fair tribute to their efforts at distributing happiness and easing suffering worldwide. This same mindset stirred them both to continue charity work and shoulder their responsibility through phone calls and video calls when visiting in person was not possible.
In the end, it is the spirit of life that counts, even when all the pieces fall and scatter off.