Closer Weekly: Queen Elizabeth Considers Canceling Traditional Christmas Celebration This Year

Queen Elizabeth is reportedly thinking about canceling her royal family's annual Christmas plans because many people are still grappling with the coronavirus pandemic's effects.

According to a source, the British royal family is talking about canceling their traditional Christmas this year as novel coronavirus disease cases continue to rise in the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty couldn't want anything more than to see her loved ones reunite in Sandringham during her holiday. Still, royal residence laborers are stressed over having many staff members, which is generally required for preparation, the source added.

The annual Christmas celebrations are one of the few events when the family gathers, so the idea of dropping plans is disheartening for the 94-year-old ruler, who is a patron of over 600 organizations and charities.

However, Queen Elizabeth, who married Prince Philip, 99, in 1947, is thinking of a plan B, the source shared, adding that she plans to have a smaller gathering with a very close family.

Since 1988, the Queen has been hosting the holiday party at her Sandringham Estate every year. Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle, and the Queen's many great-grandchildren are usually the attendees.

But the presence of the Duke of Sussex and his wife at this year's Christmas gathering is up in the air as the pair moved to North America with their child, son Archie Harrison.

Harry and Meghan stepped back from their royal duties in January 2020. Before settling down in Santa Barbara in early August, the couple bounced around between Canada and California.

Elizabeth has only one thing on her mind after a year of keeping an eye on her imperial obligations, and that is Christmas.

Although they are no longer working royals in Her Majesty's monarchy, the Queen has no hard feelings for them. In fact, in March, Elizabeth made her intentions clear during a meeting with Harry.

A source previously told Closer Weekly that the Queen often worries about her grandson and that the most significant thing to her is to see him well.

Elizabeth told Harry at the time that he is always welcome to come back on the off chance that he changes his mind about living in North America, the source explained, adding that since the meeting, the prince feels like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders.

Elizabeth has only one thing on her mind after a year of keeping an eye on her imperial obligations, and that is Christmas. Although she is eager to see her children and grandchildren, she is even more excited to spend time with all the family's littlest royal kids.

A source told Closer Weekly in December that being around the children always makes the queen smile. The source added that the best part about the holiday for her is the traditional lunch.

Last year, the royals celebrated Christmas from Elizabeth's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. William, Kate, and two of their three children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, all joined the Queen to greet well-wishers on the way to the traditional church service.

Harry and Meghan were missing from the festivities at the time as the couple decided to spend the holiday privately with the former "Suits" actress's mother, Doria Ragland.

Meanwhile, over the next few years, the amount of cash the royal accountants can expect to get from guests and other special occasions at the royal residences will be down $25 million.

The estimate comes from the most recent report of the royal finances, which comprise funds given to the royals to pay for the official duties of Elizabeth, her family, and the maintenance of occupied royal residences.

Sir Michael Stevens, Keeper of the Privy Purse, made the prediction of the shortfall in funding at a Buckingham Palace briefing recently. He pointed out that COVID-19 was the cause of the significant reduction in income from the Royal Collection Trust.