It has been a long-standing, if light-hearted, tradition for generations of Royals when they gather at Sandringham for their annual Christmas celebrations.
But when Prince William becomes King, it is understood that he will scrap an outdated ceremony which involves handing out ‘joke’ £5 presents in strict order of royal seniority.
The ‘antiquated’ game involves the cheap gifts being handed out by King Charles – and previously, by his mother the late Queen – from a specially-assembled trestle-table in a ritual which perfectly captures the Windsor pecking order.
While senior royals receive their gifts first, more junior royals are forced to wait patiently as the pile diminishes.
But sources say that while the understated nature of the gifts is likely to remain, any ‘hierarchical’ traditions – which have never been popular with the Prince of Wales as he continues to take his cues from the more relaxed Middleton family – are expected to be among the first things to go when it’s finally his turn to host.
A source said: ‘While William’s mind is on much bigger changes than just the trestle table, it’s well known to be one of those antiquated traditions that he’s never really taken to.
‘You can expect that to be one of the first things to go when he eventually hosts his first Sandringham Christmas.’
The Royal family’s festive gathering has always run on a strict, and quietly rigid hierarchy – completely at odds to the easy, informal gatherings William and Catherine are known to prefer at Anmer Hall with the Middletons.
Friends say the couple enjoy the Middleton-style ‘family chaos’ present opening rather than Sandringham’s more orchestrated festivities.
Dinner at Sandringham on Christmas Eve is black tie and held to a precise schedule, with seating plans dictated by rank.
While Christmas lunch itself has no formal seating plan, the Royals come to the table from their rooms – which are arranged according to their status.
Lower-tier members of the family are housed in servants’ quarters, further away from the dining room, while senior Royals are closer.
In the past, Sarah Ferguson has been consigned to Wood Farm, a different building altogether.
Because of the latest scandals to embroil the House of York, she and Andrew will not attend the celebrations at Sandringham and will instead spend one final Christmas at Royal Lodge in Windsor.
But the trestle-table of gifts is what reinforces the formality of the hierarchies and means much-loved members of the family, like Zara Phillips, who was not assigned an HRH title at birth, are left until last – something which does not fit in with William and Catherine’s more relaxed style.
The source added: ‘William adores Zara, he would hate that the practice of leaving her to the back of a queue. It’s just not William’s way of doing things at home and he has apparently quipped in the past that he wouldn’t continue any of that stuff, though he appreciates his father does it for the nostalgia and as a way to remember the Queen.’
Famously, Sandringham has not been big enough to accommodate the entire Royal family in previous years.
This year, however, there is likely to be plenty of space without Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, and with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex staying in Montecito, California.
The Cambridges will stay at Anmer Hall, their Norfolk residence, and are likely to slip back there as early as possible to join Kate’s parents, Michael and Carol.
Princess Beatrice and her family – if they attend as expected – are likely to make the trip from their home in the Cotswolds. Princess Eugenie will likely follow suit.
The source added: ‘In the past the bedroom policy, and to a lesser extent the gift-giving game, has raised eyebrows among newer or more distant relatives who don’t exactly relish the thought that their sleeping arrangements depend not on comfort but on their position in the family tree.’
William has long stated his intentions to run a far more modern, relaxed, and ‘normal family’ monarchy and made his feelings known earlier this year during an Apple TV interview with Eugene Levy.
He cautioned that there would be changes ahead during his reign, but added there would be ‘nothing dramatic’.
A source said: ‘William’s reign will be a general vibe shift and little customs like the gift-giving ceremony will be undoubtedly swallowed up by that broader change.’
