Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career Money
    • Health Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes amp; Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • TIFF's Best-Dressed
    • Low Ponytails
    • 'Ungrateful Immigrant Daughter'
    • Altuzarra
    • Caitlin Clark x Nike
    1. Celebrity
    2. Royals

    How Prince William Ended Up in a "Fight" at a Christmas Party for the Royal Family and Their Staff

    Former royal butler Grant Harrold dished on how the unexpected moment unfolded.

    Amy Mackelden#039;s avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 31 December 2024 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Prince William wears a blue suit with an open shirt and has beard stubble
    (Image credit:  Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    The holiday season comes with a plethora of rules for Royal Family members. From their annual celebration at Sandringham to their Christmas Eve gift tradition, the royals have little time to stop and think over the holidays. However, according to a former royal butler, Prince William did allow himself to have some fun at a Christmas party in the past.

    Speaking to Slingo, via the Express, Grant Harrold, a former butler for the Royal Family, said, "I remember going to one [party] at St. James' Palace and hanging out with Prince William, Prince Harry, and Camilla." It would seem that the event quickly got quite raucous, with William even ending up in a "fight" with a member of staff, according to Harrold.

    "I remember there was a water fight going on between another member of staff and Prince William—and I was in the firing line sitting between them!" he explained. "It was always so festive and made you feel so involved and welcome to be a part of the celebrations. We would always be invited to the Christmas parties within the family, which were always so exciting."

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    Prince George, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, and Prince William carry gifts from royal fans at Sandringham on Christmas Day

    "I remember there was a water fight going on between another member of staff and Prince William," explained a former royal butler.

    (Image credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

    Harrold also noted that "everyone was in fits of laughter" when Prince William took part in the water fight.

    Meanwhile, Paul Burrell, another former royal butler, opened up about the changes Prince William is likely to make when he becomes King. "I think it's already changing in shape," Burrell told Marie Claire on behalf of Spin Genie. "We're seeing things aren't quite the same as they used to be, the monarchy is changing, the coronation honeymoon seems to be over."

    You may like
    • Prince William and Prince Harry walking on rocks at Balmoral Royal Butler Recalls William and Harry's Staff-Free Summertime Fun
    • Prince Harry is a man with ginger hair, and a slight smirk on his face, wearing a black suit with military medals attached to the lapel Why Prince Harry Once Apologized for "Being a Bit Silly"
    • Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis at their first day of school at Lambrook Prince William and Princess Kate’s “Hands-On” Birthday Party Plans Revealed By Fellow School Parents

    Kate Middleton wears forest green to attend church on Christmas Day in Sandringham with her family, including daughter Princess Charlotte, who wore her hair the same as her mom

    Prince William attends church on Christmas Day with wife, Kate Middleton, and their children.

    (Image credit: Getty Images/Samir Hussein/WireImage)

    Burrell continued, "When William becomes King, the Middletons will be with them... They will have Christmases at Sandringham and the Middletons will be there."

    Princess Diana's former butler also predicted that William "will clear out all the stuffed shirts, and all the people who shouldn't be there and it will be very much a family Christmas and not a court Christmas."

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Explore More
    Prince William Buckingham Palace
    Amy Mackelden
    Amy Mackelden
    Social Links Navigation
    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

    Read more
    Prince Harry looks at Prince William on the Buckingham Palace balcony as both wear military uniforms
    Royals Prince William's Stance on Prince Harry Has Changed to a "Cold War"
    By Kristin Contino
    Prince William and Prince Harry standing back to back
    Royals Prince Harry's Move Will Make it Hard for William to "Duck a Reconciliation"
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    King Charles waving in a blue suit; Prince George wearing his Eton College uniform
    Royals King Charles Could Recreate One of Queen Elizabeth's Eton Rituals
    By Kristin Contino
    Prince William wearing sunglasses  in the stands at Wimbledon
    Royals Prince William Could Follow in One European Queen's Title-Stripping Footsteps
    By Kristin Contino
     
     
    Latest in Royals
    Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte with their heads together at the Commonwealth Games
    Royals Princess Charlotte Had a Special Backstage Experience Orchestrated by Mom Kate
    Prince Harry looks at Prince William on the Buckingham Palace balcony as both wear military uniforms
    Royals Prince William's Stance on Prince Harry Has Changed to a "Cold War"
     
     
    Duchess Sophie wearing a lime green dress with a purple sash
    Royals Duchess Sophie Embraces Fall's Unexpected Color Clashing Trend
    Prince Harry riding an ATV with Princess Lilibet and Prince Archie with their dog running behind
    Royals Princess Lilibet Shares One of Mom Meghan's Favorite Hobbies
     
     
    Latest in News
    campaign photo of The Other September Issue for Substack, written by Gabriella Karefa-Johnson
    Fall fashion Gabriella Karefa-Johnson Wants Fashion to Take Note of the "Underappreciated"
    Princess Kate and Princess Charlotte with their heads together at the Commonwealth Games
    Royals Princess Charlotte Had a Special Backstage Experience Orchestrated by Mom Kate
     
     
    collage of New York Fashion Week guests and celebrities wearing the statement skirt trend
    Fall fashion New York Fashion Week's Easiest Outfit Formula Starts With a Statement Skirt
    Prince Harry looks at Prince William on the Buckingham Palace balcony as both wear military uniforms
    Royals Prince William's Stance on Prince Harry Has Changed to a "Cold War"
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.