King Charles is reportedly “livid” that a beloved royal Christmas tradition is facing cancellation this year.
Royal Christmas Tradition Facing Cancellation
A source told The Sun that there is currently a shortage of pheasants at the royal Sandringham estate. The shortage has gotten so bad that it could affect the chances of a full shooting calendar this winter.
This has come as devastating news to Charles, as shooting pheasants is one of his favorite royal Christmas traditions. Indeed, Charles, 76, is facing potentially calling off his traditional Boxing Day shoot. He’s even fired a long-serving gamekeeper at Sandringham over this situation.
“It was a total cock-up. No birds, no bang, just red faces,” the insider said. “The King wasn’t having it.”
Though animal rights protesters have long campaigned against the annual Boxing Day shoot, the royals have stood by it. Charles and his family see the shoot on the day after Christmas as a chance for family bonding. That’s why Charles is particularly upset at the idea of it being cancelled.
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Charles Is ‘Livid’
“King Charles III is livid, frustrated and disappointed, reflecting both his deep personal attachment to the cherished family tradition and his broader commitment to his royal heritage,” British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News. “He’s also annoyed that the mishap reflects rather poorly on the management of Sandringham, which he inherited from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.”
“The shoot gathers his extended royal family and guests, reinforcing bonds while upholding a long-standing aristocratic tradition,” she continued. “The root of the problem is that Charles has always opposed importing birds from elsewhere, preferring to maintain the estate’s game population. The eco-friendly approach has failed.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard made similar comments.
“Allegedly, King Charles is disappointed that one of his favorite Christmas family traditions may not take place this year,” Chard said. “The Sandringham shoot is questionable due to a lack of Sandringham pheasants on the estate. It seems the family will have to bond, enjoy and celebrate over another hobby. Or possibly clay pigeon shoots are the way forward.”
“King Charles may have felt a fleeting healthy upset, but in light of recent times, with the slimmed-down monarchy, cancer battles and more… the monarchy has found their typical ways changing as they are forced to be flexible,” she added.
Charles Is Still Open To Change
That being said, Chard made it clear that Charles is someone who is open to change.
“He pushes for change on occasion,” she explained. “He broke royal tradition with his last Christmas speech, recorded at the Fitzrovia Chapel, rather than a royal residence. It was there that he chose to reflect on the deeper things that connect us all — community, health, inclusivity and love.”
This comes at a difficult time for Charles, as he has been battling an unspecified form of cancer for over a year. Since the royal family has never revealed the type of cancer that Charles has, it is unknown just how serious his condition truly is.
There are few things that the British royal family loves more than their Christmas tradition. For Charles’ sake, we certainly hope that he is able to figure out a way to make his traditional royal Boxing Day shoot happen!
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