<p id=”par-1_47″>The royal family has quite a few traditions around the holidays. Some of those include a large family gathering at the Sandringham estate, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/prince-william-ready-scrap-royal-family-biggest-christmas-tradition-king.html/”>opening presents on Christmas Eve</a>, and enjoying a feast on Christmas Day that includes a turkey with all the trimmings prepared by royal chefs.</p>
<p id=”par-2_33″>Now, one person who used to work for the family is sharing what they remember about the royals’ Christmas celebrations and what was absolutely non-negotiable as far as Queen Elizabeth was concerned. </p>
<p id=”par-3_51″>Paul Burrell began working in the royal household when he was 18 years old and became <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-british-monarch-dies-96.html/”>Queen Elizabeth II</a>‘s personal footman. He was later moved to the household of then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana. After they separated, Burrell stayed on the staff as <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/princess-dianas-former-butler-discusses-cancer-diagnosis-says-doesnt-know-live-end-year.html/”>the princess’s butler</a>, a position he served in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/news/can-remember-when-princess-diana-died.html/”>until her death</a>.</p>
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<p id=”par-4_64″>Speaking on behalf of <a href=”https://www.olbg.com/casino-sites”>OLBG</a>, Burrell told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Everybody had to bring a present, and everybody had to place that present on a table which was marked for a particular member,” Burrell explained. “There’s a massive trestle table all sectioned off from the queen at one end down to the lady in waiting at the far end, and everybody had a space.”</p>
<p id=”par-5_10″>He also revealed what was non-negotiable for every guest. </p>
<p id=”par-6_98″>“The non-negotiable things are meal times,” the former royal butler recalled. “Everyone has to appear for breakfast at 9 a.m. Everyone has to have lunch at 1 p.m., tea at 5 o’clock, and dinner at 8:15 p.m. No one messed with [Queen Elizabeth’s] timetable. So your day revolves around the monarch, and in my time, tea time was probably the most important, where the queen would make tea and pour a cup of tea and have her entire family with her, then she could have a conversation with everyone and find out what’s going on in their worlds.”</p>