From glue sticks to gingerbread icing, Christmas has a habit of turning even the most dignified adults into enthusiastic crafters. Families who may not have seen each other all year suddenly
decide that the best way to reconnect is with paint, paper and something that definitely won’t match the décor. In 2025, the royals proved they are no exception—embracing festive crafting with varying degrees of skill, style and enthusiasm.
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, goes all in (Santa hat included)
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, wasted no time getting into the Christmas spirit, donning a Santa hat before settling down to decorate cookies. Visiting Disability Initiative for its Christmas celebrations, the Duchess enthusiastically joined in every activity on offer.
Disability Initiative, of which Sophie is patron, supports adults with disabilities in achieving personal goals through tailored programmes. For its festive party, crafting took centre stage, and the Duchess was fully involved—helping to decorate miniature Christmas trees before turning her attention to biscuit icing.
Her Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer cookie drew particular pride. It was a reminder that Christmas baking, however messy, remains one of the season’s great traditions—and perhaps deserves a spot on everyone’s Christmas Eve to-do list.
Sweden’s future queen tackles meatballs and festive nostalgia
In Sweden, Christmas crafting came with a culinary twist. Crown Princess Victoria’s children, Princess Estelle, 13, and Prince Oscar, nine, headed into the royal palace kitchens to prepare traditional festive food.
Estelle appeared firmly in charge as Oscar quietly worked on his own creations. The entire scene was shared with a warm, nostalgic Instagram filter that made the kitchen glow like a 1970s cookbook.
Alongside the inevitable Swedish meatballs, the princess experimented with classic Christmas baking, producing sweet treats in those tiny cake cases that only ever appear in December. As ever, the festive rule applied: if someone has made it, you eat it—and you enjoy it.
King Frederik learns the art of the paper heart
Denmark delivered one of the year’s most charming royal moments when King Frederik received a Christmas crafting lesson from his mother, Queen Margrethe.
The King had previously attempted to make a traditional Danish woven paper heart—used for centuries as Christmas decorations—and failed spectacularly in 2024. This year, he showed the evidence of that effort to his mother, who promptly took matters into her own hands.
Queen Margrethe, renowned for her artistic talents and theatrical costume design, patiently demonstrated the technique. Sitting together, she guided her 57-year-old son through the process, successfully producing a paper heart that Frederik was then able to hang on the tree himself. Relief, and festive pride, followed.
King Charles retreats to the shed
Not every royal embraced the crafting table. King Charles III opted for a more familiar Christmas escape: the shed.
Ahead of the family’s traditional gathering at Sandringham, the King invited BBC Radio 4 into the gardens of Dumfries House for a festive broadcast. Speaking warmly about his love of the outdoors, gardening and his trusty secateurs, Charles made his preferences clear.
For those convinced that Christmas crafting is a universal joy, the message was unmistakable. While paper, glitter and glue filled the house, the King could be found in his garden sanctuary—radio on, doors firmly shut, and crafting very much someone else’s problem. Photo by Carfax2, Wikimedia commons.
