How Prince William Ended Up in a "Fight" at a Christmas Party for the Royal Family and Their Staff
Former royal butler Grant Harrold dished on how the unexpected moment unfolded.


The holiday season comes with a plethora of rules for Royal Family members. From their annual celebration at Sandringham to their Christmas Eve gift tradition, the royals have little time to stop and think over the holidays. However, according to a former royal butler, Prince William did allow himself to have some fun at a Christmas party in the past.
Speaking to Slingo, via the Express, Grant Harrold, a former butler for the Royal Family, said, "I remember going to one [party] at St. James' Palace and hanging out with Prince William, Prince Harry, and Camilla." It would seem that the event quickly got quite raucous, with William even ending up in a "fight" with a member of staff, according to Harrold.
"I remember there was a water fight going on between another member of staff and Prince William—and I was in the firing line sitting between them!" he explained. "It was always so festive and made you feel so involved and welcome to be a part of the celebrations. We would always be invited to the Christmas parties within the family, which were always so exciting."
"I remember there was a water fight going on between another member of staff and Prince William," explained a former royal butler.
Harrold also noted that "everyone was in fits of laughter" when Prince William took part in the water fight.
Meanwhile, Paul Burrell, another former royal butler, opened up about the changes Prince William is likely to make when he becomes King. "I think it's already changing in shape," Burrell told Marie Claire on behalf of Spin Genie. "We're seeing things aren't quite the same as they used to be, the monarchy is changing, the coronation honeymoon seems to be over."
Prince William attends church on Christmas Day with wife, Kate Middleton, and their children.
Burrell continued, "When William becomes King, the Middletons will be with them... They will have Christmases at Sandringham and the Middletons will be there."
Princess Diana's former butler also predicted that William "will clear out all the stuffed shirts, and all the people who shouldn't be there and it will be very much a family Christmas and not a court Christmas."
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Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.
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