The royal family and Christmas trees

With most of us already beginning to decorate for Christmas, let’s take a look at how the Christmas tree became a popular tradition in Britain!

Many people believe that it was Prince Albert that brought the Christmas tree to Britain. However, it was actually Queen Victoria’s grandmother, Queen Charlotte (wife of King George III), that introduced her family to the tradition of decorating trees with candles, paper flowers and sweets in the 1790s! The tradition was later continued by Queen Adelaide, wife of King William IV, in the early 1800s.

Queen Victoria herself recorded the decorating of trees throughout her childhood. On Christmas Eve in 1832 she wrote in her journal how: “After Mamma had rung a bell three times we went in [the dining room]. There were two large round tables on which were placed two trees hung with lights and sugar ornaments. All the presents being placed round the tree.”

Having fond memories of his childhood christmases in Germany, Prince Albert wanted to keep the tradition alive for his own children. From 1840, the year he married Queen Victoria, Springelbaum trees were imported from Coburg and placed around Windsor Castle, with several others donated to local schools and army barracks. As with Victorias childhood, each member of the family had their own tree, which was placed on a table and surrounded by unwrapped gifts.

In 1848, the Illustrated London News published an illustration (located at the top of the page), which depicts the royal couple around a tree with their children. From then on, ordinary families began adopting the custom, which has since become the ultimate Christmas tradition.

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