What Queen Elizabeth gives her palace staff as Christmas gift every year

As the longest-reigning monarch in the world, Queen Elizabeth may just be an expert in gift-giving by now. The 91-year-old royal already knows what she will be giving her 550-something staff members at the Buckingham Palace for Christmas because she always gets them the same thing every year.

Express.co.uk reports that the Queen has her gifts to her staff all settled down as early as March. Her employees receive an email in March asking what they would like to receive from her. They can ask for a voucher, but they can also choose whether they would like to receive a gift token or a book token from the Queen.

Junior staff reportedly get a voucher worth £28 (AU$49.11), though the amount would slightly increase annually, with the tokens capped at £35 (AU$61.39). However, the staff are also reportedly set to receive a seasonal bonus with 1,500 Christmas puddings shared among them.

The vouchers are only applied to employees who have been in service for at least one year. New staff members serving less than a year get nothing.

Queen Elizabeth apparently hands out the gifts to them personally. The most senior household staff go first, then the clerks, domestic workers and then the gardeners. The Lord Chamberlain calls their name before the staff are allowed to come forward.

Meanwhile, the Queen and her family will have one new special guest joining them this Christmas holiday. She hosts Christmas at her Sandringham House in Norfolk every year, with only close family allowed. However, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s fiancée, has been confirmed to join the festivities on Christmas Day.

The American TV star will be joining her beau and the royal family at church on Christmas morning and then at lunch. She will also join the distinguished group during the gift-giving on Christmas Eve when the family are reportedly swapping gag gifts in a family tradition.