Sweet photos of the royals celebrating Christmas through the years

We won't see the <a href=/tags/0/british-royals><strong>Royal Family</a></strong> out at Sandringham this year. The <strong><a href=/tags/0/covid-19>COVID-19</a></strong> pandemic means their annual gathering isn't possible in 2020, so they'll be spending the holidays separately at their various homes throughout the United Kingdom. <p>But that doesn't mean we can't look back at how the royals have spent Christmas in previous years! The holiday has always been important to them, with it bringing them much meaning during World War II and beyond. <p><strong>Scroll through the gallery (or click through if you're on desktop) to look back at some of our favourite photos of the royals celebrating Christmas, from Sandringham to New Zealand and beyond!</strong> <p>Photos: &copy; Getty Images
<h2>1929</h2> <p>The Queen, then three years old, is seen at King's Cross Station in London, on her way to Sandringham for the holidays. <p>Photo: &copy; Edward G. Malindine/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images
<h2>1937</h2> The Sandringham walk to church has long been tradition! <p>The Queen and <strong><a href=/tags/0/princess-margaret>Princess Margaret</a></strong> walk with their parents, <strong><a href=/tags/0/king-george-vi>King George VI</a></strong> and <Strong>Queen Elizabeth</strong>, later the <strong><a href=/tags/0/queen-mother>Queen Mother</a></strong> on Christmas Day at the Norfolk estate when Her Majesty was just 11 years old. <p>Photo: &copy; The Print Collector/Getty Images
<h2>1939</h2> <p>The Queen, then 13, waves out the window of the family car with the Queen Mother, King George VI and Princess Margaret as they leave for Sandringham that year. <p>Photo: &copy; Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
<h2>1942</h2> The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth, sent this Christmas card out to the Grenadier Guards regiment of the British Army that year. It would have been a very welcome greeting during the War. <p>"It is a great honour and privilege to have been appointed colonel of the Grenadier Guards, and I shall do all in my power to uphold and foster the great traditions of the regiment, which I have already learned to love," the message inside it reads. <p>Photo: &copy; Express/Express/Getty Images
<h2>1944</h2> <p>Christmas was very special during the War, and the Queen and <a href=/tags/0/princess-margaret><strong>Princess Margaret</a></strong> must have enjoyed their holiday pantomimes, which they're seen partaking in here, even more during that time. <p>Photo: &copy; Lisa Sheridan/Studio Lisa/Getty Images
<h2>1951</h2> <p>The Queen, Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Anne's nanny wave to royals fans as they leave London for Sandringham. <p>Photo: &copy; Keystone-France/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
<h2>1953</h2> <p>This was a momentous year for the Queen, who was crowned that June. She and <strong><a href=/tags/0/prince-philip>Prince Philip</a></strong> spent Christmas in New Zealand. Here, Santa Claus can be seen giving presents to New Zealand's Governor General's daughters at Government House in Auckland. <p>Photo: &copy; PA Images via Getty Images
<h2>1969</h2> <p>The Queen and Philip look at one of the Christmas trees in Windsor Castle in a scene from the ITV-BBC documentary, <I>The Royal Family</I>. <p>Photo: &copy; Bettmann/Getty Images
<h2>1969</h2> <p>A young <Strong><a href=/tags/0/sarah-chatto>Sarah Chatto</a></strong> (then Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones) is seen with <strong>George Windsor</strong> and <Strong>Lady Helen Taylor</strong> (then Lady Helen Windsor) at Christmas celebrations at Windsor Castle that year. <p>Photo: &copy; Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
<h2>1970</h2> <p>Philip shakes Santa Claus's hand in Birmingham that year. St. Nick was kind enough to do an exhibition at a Lewis's department store that Christmas. <p>Photo: &copy; Staff/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
<h2>1978</h2> <p><strong><A href=/tags/0/peter-phillips>Peter Phillips</a></strong>, the Queen's eldest grandchild, joins his mother Anne and Her Majesty during the Christmas Day broadcast. <p>Photo: &copy; PA Images via Getty Images
<h2>1979</h2> <p><strong>Mark Phillips</strong> takes Peter on a pony ride around the grounds at Sandringham that Christmas. <p>Photo: &copy; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
<h2>1979</h2> <p>Anne and the Queen seen riding at Sandringham just after New Year. <p>Photo: &copy; Pete Case/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
<h2>1981</h2> <p><strong><a href=/tags/0/princess-diana>Princess Diana</a></strong> looked beautiful in a warm blue coat and pillbox hat at her first Christmas service as a member of the Royal Family. <p>Photo: &copy; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
<h2>1985</h2> <p>Diana shares a joke with Philip as the Royal Family leaves Christmas service at Sandringham. <p>Photo: &copy; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
<h2>1987</h2> <p>A young <strong><a href=/tags/0/prince-william>Prince William</a></strong> waves as the Royal Family leaves Christmas service at Windsor Castle. <strong><a href=/tags/0/zara-phillips>Zara Phillips</a></strong>, <strong>Lord Frederick Windsor</strong>, Peter and Diana are behind him. <p>Photo: &copy; Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
<H2>1987</H2> <P>The Queen and Philip were all smiles as they left the same service. <p>2020 will be their first Christmas at Windsor since these photos were taken. <p>Photo: &copy; Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images
<h2>1990</h2> <p>It was a blustery day, and Diana found herself holding on to her hat, which nearly flew right off her head that year at Sandringham! <p>Photos: &copy; Georges De Keerle/Getty Images
<h2>1991</h2> <p>The Queen Mother, <strong><a href=/tags/0/prince-harry>Prince Harry</a></strong>, William and Diana say hello to well-wishers at Christmas church service. <p>Photo: &copy; Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images
<h2>1997</h2> <p><a href=/tags/0/princess-beatrice><strong>Princess Beatrice</a></strong> and <strong><a href=/tags/0/princess-eugenie>Priness Eugenie</a></strong> looked thrilled with the Christmas presents they received from well-wishers at Sandringham that year. <p>Photo: &copy; UK Press via Getty Images
<h2>1998</h2> <p>A teenage William speaks with well-wishers outside church service at Sandringham that year. It was a difficult Christmas for the boys, since they had lost Diana the year before. <p>Photo: &copy; Fiona Hanson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images
<h2>1999</h2> <p>The <Strong><a href=/tags/0/countess-of-wessex>Countess of Wessex</a></strong>, who had married Edward earlier that year, received a warm welcome at Sandringham that Christmas. <p>Photo: &copy; Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images
<h2>2004</h2> <p>The Queen was very amused by these flowers delivered to her by one of Santa's elves, who was dressed up as St. Nick. <p>Photo: &copy; CHRIS RADBURN/AFP via Getty Images
<h2>2005</h2> <p><a href=/tags/0/camilla-parker-bowles><strong>Duchess Camilla</a></strong> was all smiles during her first Christmas as a member of the Royal Family. She'd married Charles earlier that year. <p>Photo: &copy; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
<h2>2011</h2> <p>Looking beautiful in burgundy, <strong><A href=/tags/0/kate-middleton>Duchess Kate</a></strong> received an overwhelming welcome from royals watchers outside church at Sandringham for her first Christmas as a member of the Royal Family. She'd married William earlier that year. <p>Photo: &copy; Chris Jackson/Getty Images
<h2>2011</h2> <p><a href=/tags/0/mike-tindall><strong>Mike Tindall</a></strong> also had his first royal Christmas that year, having married Zara in July. He was seen in great spirits, laughing and joking with Harry. <p>Photo: &copy; Chris Jackson/Getty Images
<h2>2017</h2> <p><a href=/tags/0/meghan-markle><strong>Duchess Meghan</a></strong> had just gotten engaged to Harry at her first royal Christmas, and greeted the Queen with a huge smile. <p>Photo: &copy; Chris Jackson/Getty Images
<h2>2019</h2> <p><strong><a href=/tags/0/prince-george>Prince George</a></strong> and <strong><a href=/tags/0/princess-charlotte>Princess Charlotte</a></strong> looked so smart during their Christmas Day debuts at Sandringham. <p>Photo: &copy; Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images
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