This year, given the COVID-19 pandemic, the royal family will, haplessly, have to avoid some of their annual Easter customs due to social distancing.
The royal family is nothing if not traditional. There are 3 main traditions. How many of them do you know?
Probably next year everything will get back to normal. Here’s how the royal family usually celebrates this occasion.
Maundy Thursday
On the Thursday before Easter, the Queen usually gives special coins called “Maundy money” to people who have done great work in their churches and communities. For those who don’t know the number of recipients every year is actually based on Queen Elizabeth’s age. (In 2019, the Queen was 93, so distributed coins to 93 men & 93 women.)
It’s a very old ritual based on a centuries-old tradition. Queen Elizabeth adapted it early on in her reign. Recipients of this award, Maundy money, are given two small leather pouches, one red and one white, by the Queen.
Also read: Queen Elizabeth experiencing a challenging week full of sadness.
“The first contains a small amount of ordinary coinage which symbolises the Sovereign’s gift for food and clothing,” explains the royal family’s website. “The second purse contains Maundy coins up to the value of the Sovereign’s age. The coins are legal tender but recipients normally prefer to retain them as a keepsake.”
Unfortunately, the celebration was one of the first royal events cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
Easter Sunday
Just like on Christmas, many members of the royal family gather together to celebrate Easter. They go to Windsor to spend the holiday with the Queen and attend church at St George’s Chapel as a group on Sunday morning.
According to Tatler, after church, the royals typically enjoy a lunch of roast lamb back at the castle.
While the Cambridges and Prince Harry have spent Easter with the Queen in years past, Prince Charles traditionally goes to Birkhall with Camilla
What about a royal egg hunt?
The Queen does not host an egg hunt for the public, but in years past, several royal palaces have put on Easter festivities, which sometimes include egg hunts. Unfortunately, those events have been cancelled this year.
Also read: 9th July marks a very important day in the life of Queen Elizabeth.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have also suggested in the past that their children enjoy a private egg hunt on Easter Sunday; it’s unclear if that hunt is put on by their Gan-Gan, the Queen.
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