It is said that on Christmas Day back in 1736, Queen Caroline had a dinner at Kensington Palace consisting of ‘minced pyes, plum broth, roasted chyne of pork, roast turkey and water cresses.’ The festive meal was also accompanied by ‘squabs (pigeons) with noodles and asparagus,’ washed down with some ‘turbot and lobster broiled.’ A hot chocolate with a touch of brandy was her tipple of choice. The Georgian Christmas was familiar yet different to our own.
I was delighted to be invited by the press officers for Kensington Palace to join them for a very private evening with guests which included Lucy Worsley, the Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces and a writer of history books. It was quite a surreal feeling to be making my way down to therein the late evening when the palace and Kensington Gardens were completely closed off to the public. All along the way from the entrance from the gardens, there were very polite security staff members to help guide me to the building in the dark. I felt like I was dreaming because it was simply quite magical. There was a lovely lady waiting for me outside the entrance of Kensington Palace, it was so dark I could only just about make out it was a person until I was within a few minutes of her. She gave me a very warm welcome and took me inside and handed over to another delightful lady. I handed in my warm black winter coat at the cloakroom and was led up a beautiful staircase. I could hear Georgian music coming from upstairs, sounding louder with each step I took. It was incredible. As I made my way into The Cupola Room, all the guests had gathered, with drinks in their hands, to listen to Lucy Worsley give us a speech about the history of the building and then she thanked us all for our support this year. With the speech over it was time for the guests to mingle, drink, eat and continue the evening of fun! Topics of discussion included the Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red installation at Tower of London, our favourite rooms at the palace, Christmas (of course) and one press officer and I even delightfully discussed about our love of cats!
It was a night to remember. I was always made to feel like a very special guest and was extremely well looked after. When I had exited the building, there were two very kind people who had walked me all the way to the palace gates where I met a very likeable and chatty gentleman who then opened the gates for me to let me out. I turned and looked back for a moment, thinking of the few fond memories I have of the times when as a little child I used to stand outside Kensington Palace with my parents. I am a very sentimental person, and moments like those mean everything to me. Memories are eternal.
If you plan on visiting Kensington Palace (which is always open to the public during the day), then you will be pleased to know that there the palace is decked with period-inspired decorations, holly and ivy, and there is a a truly beautiful 25ft Christmas tree on the front lawn to greet visitors. Inside the King’s State Apartments, the table is set for a Christmas dinner fit for a Queen and is inspired by a surviving menu book from 1737. It lists all the meals served to the King and Queen, and a table decked with elaborate napkin sculptures will show all the dishes Queen Caroline enjoyed on Christmas Day.
* Visitors can also try out Queen Caroline’s hot chocolate, made from an eighteenth century recipe, for themselves on 10th, 11th, 13th, 17th & 18th December.
* Live Glorious Georgian music will be performed on 13th and 20th December between 12pm-3pm.
* You can also take part in a festive evening of Georgian inspired carol singing with Alberti Brass on 8th and 15th December between 6pm and 7.30pm.
* Take part in a popular Georgian game to become King of the Bean or Queen of the Pea for Twelfth Night Celebrations between 29th October and 21st December, and also between 27th December and 5th January.
