Although Christmas at Sandringham is a special royal celebration, there are many other people who live on the monarch’s vast private estate. Located in Norfolk, the 20,000-acre property is home to some of the Royal Family’s former employees who live in properties dotted throughout the area. Former royal butler Paul Burrell exclusively tells Marie Claire that despite the hectic schedule for Queen Elizabeth during the holiday season, she always made time for one touching gesture.
Speaking on behalf of Casino.org, Burrell says that the late Queen “took care of everyone,” and over Christmas, she would make sure to visit “the many estate workers who had retired and were living in grace-and-favour accommodation on the estate.” A grace-and-favour home is provided to a former employee by the monarch as a thank you for their years of service, and Burrell explains that Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mother would spend time with “former grooms, gardeners, or retired household staff.“
