The best photos of Buckingham Palace at Christmas over the years

Buckingham Palace takes on a distinct glow each December, a season long marked by family gatherings and extra special royal traditions. While the royals' holiday calendar has shifted a bit since Queen Elizabeth’s death in 2022, King Charles and the rest of the family still highlight her legacy through their celebrations. Archival images show how the palace has embraced the season across eight decades, from formal receptions to moments tied to the monarch’s annual Christmas Day broadcasts.

The London residence has appeared less in the spotlight in recent memory as renovations continue through 2027. Until then, here is a look back at holiday festivities at Buckingham Palace over the ages.

1936

Crowds gather outside of the Buckingham Palace gates to watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony in December 1936.

1937

Queen Mary of Teck cuts through a cake at the annual Not Forgotten Christmas party for veterans in December.

1939

The Queen Mother poses at her desk following her Christmas broadcast for the BBC.

1942

The palace hosts a Christmas dinner for veterans in The Not Forgotten Association.

1942

Another snap from The Not Forgotten Association's Christmas event in 1942. Tables were lined with happy guests in festive hats.

1952

Not long before Christmas, Queen Elizabeth led the Economies Conference in the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace.

1958

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip's glamorous December 1958 portrait, in which the pair are dressed in royal attire, screams Christmas card material.

1962

It was a white Christmas in 1962, with the Queen Victoria statue glistening in the snow.

1964

Musical group The Beverley Sisters serves 95-year-old Walter Reed tea at the annual Not Forgotten Christmas party. The event for ex-servicemen and women was started by King George V and Queen Mary in 1921.

1970

The monarch prepares for her Christmas broadcast in the sitting room of Buckingham Palace.

1971

The Queen makes Christmas memories with her sons, sitting and looking through a photo album with them, as she records her annual holiday address to England.

1972

One month after celebrating her 25th wedding anniversary with Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth broadcasts her annual Christmas speech from Buckingham Palace.

1976

Sitting poised in the Regency Room, Her Majesty poses for a photo following her annual Christmas broadcast.

1977

There was a new addition to the royal family during the 1977 holiday season. Here, Princess Anne holds her 1-month-old son, Peter Phillips, at his baptism at Buckingham Palace in December.

1978

The monarch poses in the Regency Room with some very special items: The original microphones used by her grandfather, King George V, to broadcast the very first Christmas Day message in 1932.

1986

A gathering of white horses gives Queen Elizabeth a lovely backdrop to work with, as she films her annual Christmas address in the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace.

1998

The Queen (right) and Queen Mother (left) take in the Queen's Christmas Tree in the Picture Gallery. Artists were invited to present the royal family with 500 handmade ornaments, which were later auctioned off for charity.

1998

The Queen (left) and Queen Mother (right) get a closer look at the ornaments at the same event.

1999

The Queen rings in the new millennium in a blue jacket and pearls, as she records her traditional Christmas Day message.

2000

Smiling by a cozy fireplace, Queen Elizabeth looks festive in red for her first Christmas broadcast of the new century.

2001

Her Majesty looks bold in blue, as she films her annual Christmas address from Buckingham Palace.

2003

Buckingham Palace shines as part of 2003's Brightening Up London project. The light show was personally approved by the Queen, after she discovered a similar projection show on Wellington Arch not long before.

2003

The light show had an array of different designs, including a wrapped present.

2003

It also included the Union Jack.

2004

A dancer from the English National Ballet stands beside a towering tree inside Buckingham Palace. The group was invited for a Christmas tea party.

2004

Queen Elizabeth smiles in an elegant purple dress and pearls, as she records her Christmas Day message from the Yellow Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace.

2005

The Queen received plenty of Christmas cheer in 2005, when she was presented with a giant greeting card in the Marble Hall. Members of the public were able to pen their messages to her, after donating to the National Children's Homes charity GBP1.

2005

The front of the card was just as impressive, decorated with pictures of those that wrote holiday greetings inside.

2005

The Queen chats with members of Her Majesty's Chapel Royal following their appearance in her annual Christmas Day broadcast.

2006

A student from the Chelsea College of Art & Design helps set up the Buckingham Palace decorations ahead of the Queen's young achievers ceremony the following day.

2008

Everything from the decorated tree to the festive curtains and matching chairs look picturesque in the Music Room at the palace in 2008.

2009

The Queen looked lovely in turquoise in front of the White Drawing Room's holiday décor, the setting for her annual Christmas Day broadcast.

2011

Her Majesty is a vision in red on Christmas Day in 2011. Her vivid dress matched Buckingham Palace's festive tree.

2012

The elegant floral arrangement, shining chandelier, inviting tree, Buckingham Palace was nothing short of mesmerizing in 2012.

2012

The Queen dons stylish glasses as she previews her annual Christmas Day address from the White Drawing Room. It was the first year the event was broadcasted in 3D.

2014

With a towering tree behind her, Queen Elizabeth poses for a picture in the State Dining Room following her annual speech.

2015

In 2015, the monarch addressed the nation from the 18th Century Room of Buckingham Palace. In the back, you can see a picture of Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their daughter, Princess Charlotte, who was born earlier that year.

2015

Kate Middleton looks gorgeous as she arrives at the annual Diplomatic Reception at Buckingham Palace in December 2015. While photographers weren't admitted inside, she was spotted wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara, one of Princess Diana's favorite pieces.

2016

Her Majesty sits poised in the Regency Room of the palace after recording her annual Christmas address. Behind her is a portrait of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years.

2016

With Prince William behind the wheel, the family—including Kate Middleton, Prince George, and Prince Harry—arrive for the Queen's Christmas lunch at the palace.

2016

Duchess Camilla, Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip, Prince William, and Kate Middleton look as graceful as ever at the Diplomatic Corps reception at Buckingham Palace just a few weeks before Christmas.

2017

Cameras capture Meghan Markle's diamond ring as she and Prince Harry arrive at Buckingham Palace for a family Christmas lunch—just one month after announcing their engagement.

2017

The Queen flashes a smile for the camera in the 1844 Room at Buckingham Palace, with portraits of her family lined up next to her on her desk.

2018

The Queen arrives at an evening reception for members of the Diplomatic Corps. In 2018, approximately 7,500 military personnel were serving overseas during Christmas.

2018

Kate Middleton attends the same reception looking radiant in a floor-length gown and the Lover's Knot Tiara—which once belonged to Princess Diana.

2019

Prince William and Kate Middleton—along with a very unimpressed Princess Charlotte—arrive at Buckingham Palace for Christmas lunch.

2019

Crowds gather outside of the palace in December 2019 to witness the Changing of the Guards ceremony. It would be one of the last ones for quite some time, as the COVID-19 pandemic hit shortly after. British natives and tourists alike were thrilled to see it eventually return in August 2021.

2020

For most people, including the royals, Christmas 2020 looked very different. In a time when large parties and galas weren't possible, Buckingham Palace launched its "Masterpieces" exhibit in The Queen's Gallery.