Summer may be far from over in many of our favourite European destinations, with the continent’s sandy shores – especially the most southerly ones – still buzzing for months to come.
However, as consumers are all too aware these days, Christmas waits for no one – whether you’re waiting for the glittering Christmas lights in glee or feeling particularly Grinch-y.
The festive season in the capital boasts numerous world-famous highlights. There’s Hyde Park’s transformation into Winter Wonderland, with German-style markets, beer tents and funfair rides. The ice rinks that pop up in some of the city’s most iconic squares and courtyards, from Somerset House to Hampton Court.
One highlight that attracts travellers to the capital year after year is the vast amount of shops, each putting on its own spectacular display to entice gift-buyers. And, while Oxford Street and Covent Garden will be no less busy in 2025, there’s one new store well worth a detour – Buckingham Palace’s first Christmas pop-up shop.
The launch of the Royal Collection Trust’s annual gift guide came with exciting news this September, as the palace’s 200-year-old stables will be transformed into a seasonal boutique while the Mews is closed to visitors for the winter.
From Friday, 14 November to Monday, 5 January, shoppers can browse festive ranges of official royal gifts, food and drink from the Royal Collection Trust, as well as future heirlooms.
Highlights include small bottles of gin infused with botanicals hand-picked from the grounds of royal residences, including Buckingham Palace, and kitchen accessories inspired by The Great Kitchen at Windsor Castle – the oldest working kitchen in the country.
paul mansfield photography
Other goodies lining the shelves include crystal wine glasses etched with a pattern of knotted vines and grape leaves inspired by the Grand Punch Bowl, a wine cistern known to have been used by Queen Victoria, and tree decorations handcrafted in India using traditional embroidery techniques.
The ranges can be purchased online from royalcollectionshop.co.uk, Royal Collection Trust Shops in London, Edinburgh and Windsor, and the pop-up The Royal Mews Christmas Shop.
The income from purchases, available online and in-store, contributes to the care and conservation of the Royal Collection.
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