Zara Tindall Shared the Sweet Christmas Tradition That the Royals Have Upheld for Years

Even Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip used to participate.

Zara Tindall is sharing rare insight into how the royal family spends Christmas at Sandringham—and the years-long tradition they still uphold to this day. This week, Tindall attended the Battle of the Commentators charity lunch in London, where she was asked about her plans for the holiday season. 

According a source at Hello!, Princess Anne's daughter revealed that she would be celebrating at Sandringham, noting that all the royals wear black-tie to dinner on Christmas Eve, which is then followed by a gift exchange. "We give presents to each other on Christmas Eve," Tindall said, adding a heartwarming tidbit: "As adults, we still have stockings on Christmas Day."

When pressed if the late Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, also had stockings, she replied: "Of course."

Traditionally, Tindall and her husband, former rugby player, Mike Tindall, spend Christmas Eve with the royals and then join them for church service the next day with daughters, Mia and Lina, who are often photographed alongside their cousins—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—during the festivities. The couple are also parents to a three-year-old son, Lucas, who has yet to make his Christmas Day debut. 

This year, the royal family is planning for a "chaotic" Christmas with all the royal grandchildren in tow—including Princess Kate and Prince William's brood, Beatrice and Eugenie's kids, and the Tindalls. "Throw in the Tindalls' three plus Beatrice and Eugenie's kids, and it will be chaos—a Christmas dominated by children," royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK!, per Marie Claire.

However, Larcombe thinks a busy holiday season is just what the doctor ordered for Charles and Kate. "Kids are a great healer and a great distraction," he added. "After the strain caused by the King and Kate's health battles, the royals will focus on making it a really fun and enchanting Christmas for them. They'll welcome some light relief, and the children will provide that.".