Every year, the Royal Family spends a few weeks at Sandringham during the Christmas season, hosting various family members and friends for the festive celebrations. The experience of staying with the Royal Family is known to be formal and meticulously organized.
A close friend of Prince Edward recently revealed details of her visit to the Norfolk estate back in 1979. She had been invited by her schoolmate to join the royals right after Christmas, and she shared the stringent dress code she had to follow during her stay.
Tanya Rose, the founder of a travel PR company called Mason Rose, recounted her experience on a podcast hosted by Amanda Wakeley, discussing her visit to Sandringham with Prince Edward and the exclusive invite she received as a teenager.
“I was 14 at the time, and I was invited by Edward to Sandringham just after Christmas,” she mentioned on the podcast, highlighting that she was the only non-royal guest during that period.
When asked about the attire requirements for her four-day stay, Tanya explained, “I had to prepare four long dresses, outfits for breakfast and tea, attire for shooting activities, Barbour clothing, and Wellington boots.”
She mentioned that she didn’t possess suitable clothing for the occasion, so she had to purchase new outfits with her parents. Tanya also shared that her mother lent her a pearl necklace from Fenwick’s, which she pretended was a family heirloom when inquired about it by the Queen Mother.
Reflecting on her nervousness while being with the Royal Family at Sandringham, Tanya recalled feeling anxious initially but was relieved when the late Queen Elizabeth made her feel comfortable.
Describing her first night at the estate, she said, “It was quite intimidating as I was the only non-family member present. The men stayed in one room, and the women, including the Queen, Queen Mother, Princess Margaret, Princess Anne, and Lady Susan Hussey, were in another room. The Queen was incredibly kind and aware of my nervousness. She even lightened the mood by impersonating her groom, making me feel at ease.”
Despite the Queen’s reassurance, Tanya did face an embarrassing moment during dinner in front of the Royal Family. She recalled an incident where she mistakenly added salt to her coffee, thinking it was sugar, which was noticed by King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales.
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