King Charles reportedly took on Prince Harry’s jokester role last year for Christmas.
In the royal family, it can be difficult to pick out Christmas gifts since they have the world at their fingertips. Instead of trying to buy the next big and best thing, family members are known to buy each other trick gifts, instead. For many years, Harry was known as the funniest in the room. With Harry now noticeably absent from Christmas after his retreat with Meghan to the United States, someone else is stepping up to make others laugh.
Commentator Duncan Lacrombe told OK! Magazine: “It’s a long-running tradition for the family to exchange joke gifts at Christmas, so there’s always a lot of laughter at Sandringham.” He added: “In the past, Prince Harry used to be the biggest joker, but now I imagine it’s Charles, who has a very strong sense of humour.”
King Charles may be the funniest member of the Royal Family (
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
It may seem strange to think of the King laughing and picking out silly gifts, but Duncan reassured that it isn’t out of the usual. Even the royals need a break from their serious demeanour. He added: “Charles once said having a sense of humour is what keeps him sane, and so sharing joke presents helps lighten the atmosphere when things can otherwise be quite formal. And you can imagine that Princess Anne is a bit like the naughty auntie, with everyone wondering what she might say or do next!”
The outrageous gifts have had a wide range over the years, including Princess Kate’s gift to Harry. She reportedly handed him a ‘grow your own girlfriend’ kit prior to his relationship with Meghan. The now estranged royal previously gifted his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, a shower cap with the words “Ain’t life a b***h” printed on it.
Regardless of their antics, the family is known to celebrate their present exchange on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. Royal butler Grant Harrold said: “It’s a tradition that dates back to Queen Victoria. They have afternoon tea in the White Drawing Room at Sandringham, which is an absolutely beautiful room, and then they exchange silly gifts. That’s it, done.”
