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London / Copenhagen (dpa) - Most royal families usually spend the Christmas days very traditionally - but in 2020 the same applies there: Everything is different.
Corona cases have already occurred in several families, others have to withdraw strictly due to their age, and still others cannot even travel home.
As in almost all other families, the festive season will look different with the Royals this year.
THE BRITISH: The traditional festival at the Sandringham country estate in the east of England, where the whole family meets every year to celebrate and hunt, is canceled.
The Queen (94) and Prince Philip (99) want to spend the holidays like large parts of the pandemic at Windsor Castle near London - shielded by a small circle of the closest court staff.
According to the British news broadcaster Sky News, it is the first time since 1988 that the British royal couple do not go to the Norfolk country estate over the holidays.
Like many other families around the world, some members of the royal family found it difficult to decide who was allowed to sit with whom under the Christmas tree.
In England up to three households are allowed to form a "Christmas Bubble" and meet over the Christmas period.
"It's so difficult, we're still trying to make plans," said Prince William in early December on a Christmas train tour through the country.
Further infections in the royal family should be avoided at all costs: After all, heir to the throne Prince Charles and probably William himself had contracted the virus in the spring.
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THE NETHERLANDS: The Oranje family will spend the festive season at home in the palace - that's almost certain.
Usually royal family vacations are a closely guarded palace secret.
But a lot is different in Corona times.
Despite the government's urgent command not to travel abroad, King Willem-Alexander and Ms. Máxima traveled to their own holiday home in Greece with their three daughters during the autumn break.
The anger of the citizens at home was so great that the royal couple had to cancel their vacation.
Willem-Alexander even asked the people for forgiveness in a TV speech.
The Oranjes cannot afford to take another wrong step.
Therefore, skiing in Máxima's Argentine homeland will probably not work.
THE DANES: First their 80th birthday in April, then celebrations for the reintegration of the North Schleswig region into their own kingdom 100 years ago: 2020 should be such a festive year for Denmark's Queen Margrethe II.
Due to the corona, these big celebrations could not take place as planned, and restrictions also apply at Christmas in Denmark.
But the monarch doesn't have to celebrate alone: Margrethe will spend the festival together with her younger son Prince Joachim (51), his wife Princess Marie (44) and his four children at Marselisborg Castle in Aarhus.
The position in the capital Copenhagen is held by Crown Prince Frederik (52), who will stay at Amalienborg Palace over Christmas with Crown Princess Mary (48) and their four children.
Frederik's eldest son, Prince Christian (15), tested positive for the virus at his school in early December after a corona outbreak.
Corona tests with the rest of the Crown Prince family were negative.
Christian has now survived the period of isolation - so nothing stands in the way of the Hygge Christmas in the closest family circle.
NORWAY: 2020 was a grueling year in Norway too.
Not only because of the pandemic, in which a corona case at the court of King Harald V (83) and Queen Sonja (83) had recently temporarily banished to quarantine.
But also because of a heart operation in which Harald had a heart valve replaced.
At Christmas, there should be one thing above all for the Norwegian royals: calm.
Where they will find them this time is uncertain: the court's Christmas plans have not yet been published.
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On the third Advent, the royal family put at least one video online showing Crown Prince Haakon (47), Crown Princess Mette-Marit (47) and their two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra (16) and Prince Sverre Magnus (15) eating.
The Crown Prince family, who spent Christmas in Uvdal around 150 kilometers west of Oslo, talks about what they are looking forward to at Christmas - the family, snow and a little skiing.
“God jul!” Wish the four - Merry Christmas!
SWEDEN: Shortly before Christmas, the Swedish royal family received good news: Prince Carl Philip (41) and his wife Princess Sofia (36) are expecting their third child in spring 2021.
But even four of them look cozy and Christmassy in front of the Christmas tree, as an Instagram video recently showed.
Carl Philips younger sister Madeleine (38) is trying with her family to bring a little European Christmas tradition to their adopted home Florida: There they celebrate the festival on Christmas Eve - and not, as the Americans traditionally, on Christmas Day.
The Christmas home visit has to be canceled for Madeleine this time due to the corona restrictions, as the Swedish royal family has confirmed to the women's magazine "Svensk Damtidning".
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 201222-99-780708 / 2
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Royal Christmas Calendar in Denmark
Norwegian Crown Prince Family on Instagram
Carl Philips family on Instagram
Svensk dam to Madeleine