Buckingham Palace was filled with the spirit of the season as four generations of royals baked up a storm this week. Queen Elizabeth was joined by her three heirs: Prince Charles , Prince William and Prince George for the launch of The Royal British Legion’s “Together at Christmas” initiative on Wednesday, December 18. The cause aims to provide support for armed forces and veterans at outreach centers around the holidays. And what’s a better way to bring attention to the charity than some old fashioned Christmas baking with grandma?
The royal foursome prepared four Christmas puddings, a ritual that traditionally conjures up good luck for the year to come. They poured and mixed on a white table in front of a gloriously-decorated tree in the Music Room at Buckingham. The 93-year-old monarch watched over her boys as they put the recipe together.
George was the star of the show, of course, stealing the spotlight in the center with his boyish charm. The Christmas lunch was a milestone for the six-year-old, marking his first royal portraits while on an official engagement.
The little Prince and the rest of the royals placed a commemorative sixpence into the mixture, waiting to be found by someone at the “Together at Christmas” gatherings next year. The special puddings will be a part of the 99 puddings distributed across the Legion’s network in time for the Christmas 2020 outings, marking the charity’s 99th year.
The Royal British Legion’s Director General, Charles Byrne, said: “Bringing people, families and communities together lies at the heart of the Legion’s work and has done since we were founded in 1921. As we head towards our centenary in 2021, we are proud to start a new tradition for our community with the support of our Patron, Her Majesty The Queen, and three generations of her family."
Britain’s first family also posed with a group of veterans during the session. Royal fans can get a closer look at the lovely family moment in The Queen’s Christmas Broadcast, which is annually released on Christmas Day.