But while all that does still go on, rarely do we hear about the traditions within the family – the food, the music, the ways they pass the time.
At the end of last week, the Duke of Cambridge gave a short interview that gave us more Christmas colour than we’d had in years.
There’s always a tiny little bit of space left in my stomach somewhere for a bit more turkey or sausage or, you know, a bit of wine,” he said.
As for William’s favourite Christmas song? “I find it so hard, because I love so many different types of songs…” Ah, the “Best of the Beatles” defence.
As he revealed more, you could be forgiven for raising an eyebrow, especially when we heard about the family games the Cambridges play on Christmas Day.
Surely no child under the age 10 – and, in fact, no married couple under the age of 60 – ever plays Monopoly ? Still, the idea of the future king and queen playing a game about owning various landmarks with their children, all of whom could also become king or queen, is enjoyable to picture.
“Anyway ‘Free Parking’ is a bit trickier, given we never have to pay for parking anywhere, but your mother might be able to teach you about that from when she was a commo…
Everybody does Christmas differently.
It certainly seems that the Cambridges have a surprising Christmas, given who they are – but not an unusual one.
We wanted some detail about the Royal family at Christmas, and the reality is that they do the same things as the rest of us – listen to terrible music, watch cheesy films, eat too much, and end up arguing over board games.
Traditionally, the Royal Family have spent Christmas on the Queen’s private estate in Sandringham, where simple gifts are exchanged the day before Christmas.
Everything’s just lovely in Denmark, where this year the Royal Family will be at Marselisborg Palace, Queen Margrethe’s summer residence, for Christmas.
Every year, the family hosts a Christmas Gifts Distribution Party, which involves the Royal Family giving presents to hundreds of children from the principality.
Just as ours go to Norfolk, their Royal Family tend to go to Royal Lodge, a farmhouse outside Norway, where they ski, snowboard, and generally hang around in the mountains for a while.
Traditionally, King Felipe will deliver his address to the Spanish people from Zarzuela Palace on Christmas Eve, then they’ll all – Felipe, Queen Letizia and their children, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia – have dinner.