Queen Elizabeth II Cancels Traditional Royal Family Christmas Party

One of the greatest Christmas traditions of the English Royal Family had to be canceled in the final stretch of 2021. Queen Elizabeth II will not return to her home in Sandringham, Norfolk, like she did in 2020, due to the increase in COVID-19 cases and the new Omicron variant that is plaguing England. Instead, she will remain at Windsor Castle.

Traditionally, royalty gathers annually at the country house, where they take their morning Christmas walk together to St. Mary Magdalene church, followed by lunch on the estate. It is worth remembering that the film Spencer, by director Pablo Larraín and starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, tells the story of a Christmas holiday at the Royal Family's estate when she realized that she should ask for a separation from Prince Charles.

As published by The Guardian, sources say the monarch waited until the last minute to make the decision, after careful consideration.

Christmas 2021 will be the Queen's first without her husband, Prince Philip, who died in April of this year at the age of 99. She will certainly not spend the date alone. Some family members, who have not yet been announced, plan to visit her on the day, respecting all sanitary and social distancing protocols.