Sandringham on Christmas Day

[Rainbowglassbowl]

Have you been to the Sandringham church on Christmas Day to watch the Royal procession? If so, is it invite only or can anyone go?

My son’s in laws are from the USA and love the Royal Family. They are coming over to the U.K. for Christmas to see their DD/SIL and, as we don’t live too far from Sandringham, I think they would like to go and soak up the atmosphere. It would be a once in a lifetime moment for them.

If anyone has been, what’s the protocol? Can we park in the car park and wander over or do we need special permits or something?

TIA.

Benedict Cumberbatch is a stranger but we hear him and see him on TV, in interviews, along with countless others, and we get to hear a bit of their lives without fully knowing them. I look to see who's going to be on the One Show, just in case it's someone I want to hear for a few minutes. Essentially they're strangers but I recognise them.
Is it somewhat the same for members of the Royal Family in that we don't know all that much about them but we do know some things. We even hear from them directly at times. We are used to seeing their faces. They are not in the same category as absolute strangers any more than Lulu or Denzel Washington.

If a person is happy enough to have a monarchy and doesn't want to be rid of the monarchy, is there a sense of 'the nation' embodied in the RF?

For the same reason people go to watch famous people walk into a cinema when there's a premiere, I suppose.
It's interesting to see famous people in real life and you might have an interaction with them as well.
I'm not saying they'd be my reasons but it's not so inexplicable as the calls of "WHY? Why..." suggest.
When I was a child, we lived abroad for a couple of years in a small town . We were friends with a lot of British and North Americans there and, when it turned out Prince Charles (as he was then) was making a stop off at the tiny local airport, we all went along.
My American head mistress was the most enthusiastic and mustered all her pupils (I was the only British one) to sing God Bless the Prince of Wales.
It wasn't anything scheduled but Charles did come over and talk to us and we all enjoyed it and found it exciting to meet someone famous.

ETA X-posted with upinaballoon

It's a perfectly natural thing for US visitors to fancy doing, if they get the opportunity, even if they're not keen fans of the Royals.

If I were in the USA and the President was going to be visiting a nearby town then I'd probably turn up: unless it was Trump, it would only encourage him.

well it baffles me why people would go and fawn over any strangers, royal ornot.
Guess I'm not a natural sycophant

Guess I'm not a natural sycophant

You don't have to be a "sycophant" or "fawn" over famous people to find seeing them interesting.
There are plenty of eg authors I'd be interested in seeing/meeting if they happened to be somewhere easy to get to.
Guess I'm not completely uninterested in the world and self-absorbed.

I think it’s completely different to going to a reading or signing by your favourite author, or watch a film star you like walk into a premiere when you’re excited at the prospect of seeing them in the film — in both cases, the people in question have done something/are producing a body of work that interests you.

If you go to watch the royals go to church at Sandringham, you’re doing so to see a collection of rather dreary, unimaginably privileged people who are famous solely because of their bloodline, which is ‘better’ than yours, and which serves as the justification for a ridiculous anachronism. I think that’s pretty sycophantic.

Don't tell me, SlightlyGoneOff, tell Notmoog.
They're the one who said:
well it baffles me why people would go and fawn over any strangers, royal ornot.

For the same reason I went to Clinton's second inauguration when I was working in Philadelphia and had the long weekend off - to experience something new.

And why I went to Easter mass in San Marco cathedral when in Venice on holiday, though I am not a Catholic. To experience something I don't usually do.

In both cases I was nearby, there was a traditional event, so I went.

I always think it's a bit odd as most people have busy days on Christmas and want to spend it with their own family.

Is it a private church? What if you want to go in to the actual service is that allowed?

Not everyone has a family. Not everyone goes every year.

If you're 60 years old and you once went to Sandringham on Christmas morning you haven't abandoned your family that many times.

Some families are in the depths of grief and want something completely different from usual to help them get through the day.

It doesn't take all day. People who live locally can be leaving by 12.15 unless they walk the dog a bit more, and be home by 13.30 to start cooking, if they eat in the evening.

You'd have to write to the churchwardens to ask about the rules. I don't think it's a private church. It isn't very big. I suppose the people who are on the church electoral rolls of the parishes which make up the benefice, have first choice of going, because they're regular worshippers all year. With a few members of the RF and some regular worshippers I doubt if there's much space left. I might be wrong. In a way that's why people near the rope are given a hymn sheet if they want one, and if you're near you can hear the service being broadcast and you can join in if you know Mattins off by heart or if you remembered to take your Book of Common Prayer with you.

It's an ordinary church, but only regular church goers on its parish roll get in to the services when the RF attend en masse.

Other services are available for those who wish to worship there but are not local regulars.

Sorry, I was wrong. It is a private church. I googled!! I wonder if you can go to church there if you live on the Sandringham estate.

Sorry, @Ethelswith , I was just finishing typing when you were answering. Thanks for your information.

Yes, do turn up.

(You can throw handfuls of mud at PA, butdon't tell anyone I that I said that...Gaffaw, gaffaw.)

It's a parish church, part of a group of six churches. However if you want to visit you should email them:

For inquiries about visiting Sandringham Church please contact the Verger
Mr Michael Wheatley
[email protected]

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5136944-has-anyone-ever-gone-to-wave-at-the-royals-on-christmas-day-at-sandringham?page=1

This is a fairly recent thread with some helpful advice (and some unpleasant attempts to derail).

Princess Anne once asked a woman who went to see them walking to church on Christmas Day, did she not have anything better to do? So at least one of the Royal family is also flummoxed that people would turn out to watch them walking to church.

Did anyone go?

I’m always baffled that so many royal fans regard this woman, who, let’s face it, thinks her privilege allows her to be unusually rude, as some kind of authentic, down-to-earth grafter.

While I agree with her, how rude to say it aloud!!!

Yes, I live close by.
Kate looked well, both Camilla and Kate wore green and both looked smart.
William sporting stubble, very relaxed.
Louis was given a selection box by a lady near me and seemed very pleased.
It was damp and breezy but I’m pleased I went.

My elderly aunt has been going for decades, but was too frail this year which is a shame. She’s a keen gardener and always attended the summer flower show. Camilla asked her name one year and they chatted about flowers for a while. The following year she went, Camilla spoke to her and remembered my aunt’s name! It made my aunts year, decade probably. She spoke of nothing else for months!

I would love to see them in reality it I have to say I like Christmas Day in my own home (a flight and drive away 😂)

I hope it’s a good year for them as I’m sure they have their own struggles (as do so many)

I have to say I disagree with giving presents to the children. I don't mean it unkindly but they are extremely fortunate. I hope their parents donate the gifts to charity.

I suspect they have to take the sweets off them just in case.