Prince William Reveals His Surprisingly Low-Key Royal Christmas Plans
Count us in.


A royal Christmas brings to mind lavish gifts, a black tie dinner and the most spectacular decorations you can imagine, even if that isn't exactly the case for the Brits (see: Prince Harry's "ain't life a bitch" shower cap). But for Prince William, his holiday wish is a bit more simple, as he told guests at a military Christmas party on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
According to the Sun, the Prince of Wales shared that his hopes for the season were very low-key and involved "long walks with the family dog as they spend the festive period in Norfolk."
The prince and princess welcomed a black cocker spaniel named Orla to their family in 2020, shortly before their beloved first dog, Lupo, passed away. Orla was given to the Wales family by Princess Kate's dog-loving brother, James Middleton, who breeds cocker spaniels.
Along with taking walks on the Royal Family's Sandringham estate where they spend Christmas, Prince William revealed that he still had plenty of shopping and prepping to do for the holiday season. "Am I ready for Christmas? No, no way am I ready," he told a guest at the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment Christmas event.
Prince William chatted with military families at the party.
According to the Sun, the Prince of Wales "told another table he was looking forward to Christmas with 45 members of his family 'all in one room'" as they're "normally spread out."
Whether that means Prince Andrew remains to be seen, as royal expert Jennie Bond recently mused to OK! that it might be "easier" for the disgraced Duke of York to hold his own Christmas celebration with Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice and their families.
Prince William's visit to the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment follows two other festive events this past week. On Dec. 6, the Prince of Wales brought Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte to Princess Kate's annual Together at Christmas concert, and he also spread cheer by serving a holiday lunch at homelessness charity The Passage.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.
Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.
Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.
-
Sofia Richie Grainge Styles Zebra Pants With Flip-Flops
Next stop on the tour: her elegant wedding venue in the South of France.
-
Gigi Hadid Pairs Metallic Track Pants and Mesh Flats
The controversial shoe trend is most definitely gaining steam.
-
Body Language Expert Says Kate Can't "Mask Her Emotions"
"We also saw William...mirroring the same emotions as Kate."
-
Body Language Expert Reveals Kate Middleton Can't "Mask Her Emotions" at Trooping the Colour 2025
"We also saw William...mirroring the same emotions as Kate."
-
This Vintage Clip of Kate Middleton Apologizing to Prince William After Beating Him in a Boat Race Is Going Viral on TikTok
"We were sabotaged," Will joked after Kate beat him not once, but twice.
-
The "Cheeky" Joke Prince William Made Referencing a Former Queen at Formal Windsor Castle Event
The Prince of Wales was speaking to 'Bad Sisters' star Anne-Marie Duff at the time.
-
How Prince George and Prince William's "Shared Passion" Made a Windsor Castle Event "Extra Special" for One Attendee
The father and son duo have made quite the impact.
-
Princess Eugenie Has Allegedly "Formed an Alliance" With Prince William, Which Could Impact Her Future Within the Royal Family
A "shared passion" has "brought the cousins closer together."
-
Why Princess Diana Once "Canceled Lunch" at Kensington Palace to Take Prince William and Prince Harry to McDonald's
A former royal chef revealed the relatable reason Diana took her kids to the popular fast food chain.
-
The "Staggering" Drug Smuggling Shipment Prince William Helped Intercept With the Royal Navy in 2008
William experienced "a lot of excitement and a lot of danger," per a royal expert.
-
How Prince William and Princess Kate Are "Preparing" George, Charlotte, and Louis for "Their Future Roles" Within the Royal Family
"William takes his responsibilities...very seriously," a royal expert explained.