Christmas Puddings Mixed By Royal Family Given To Military Communities

Christmas puddings mixed by four generations of the Royal Family have been distributed to Armed Forces communities at home and abroad as part of a Royal Britsh Legion (RBL) project to bring festive cheer.

The Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Prince George helped make the festive desserts in aid of the RBL's Together At Christmas initiative a few days before 25 December last year.

The treats have now been given to serving military personnel, volunteers and people supported by the RBL who took part in virtual gatherings to bring people together at a time when issues like loneliness and money concerns come to the fore. 

Veteran Liam Young not only received one of the puddings, he actually helped the Royals to make them.

He told Forces News that he will wait a little while before tucking into his: “We’re probably going to wait until Christmas Day, because a friend of mine is coming around because he can come around to our bubble.

"We’re probably going to share it between us, him and his wife.

“I said ‘well, I can’t match it next year’ so if I invite him round next year, I’m going to have to have something better, so I’ve kind of put myself in a corner now!”

The puddings were made by the four Royals at Buckingham Palace last December and they added four commemorative sixpences to be found by lucky recipients.

RBL director-general Charles Byrne said: "Christmas can be a time when people’s financial worries or feelings of loneliness, isolation or anxiety are heightened, this year more than ever as people continue to adapt to life during the COVID-19 pandemic."

"We want all those within our community who may be feeling the pressures of the season to know that there is extra support available and the legion is here for them,” he added.

Gatherings for the RBL’s first Together at Christmas events were planned for high street spots, care homes and RBL branches, but the coronavirus pandemic meant the gatherings had to be moved online.

Instead, the RBL has distributed 99 puddings to mark the charity’s 99th year ahead of its 2021 centenary.

Among the international destinations for some of the puddings are Spain, Fiji and Bahrain. 

Veteran Poppy Appeal volunteer Vera Parnaby, 81, from Consett, County Durham, who has been a poppy seller for more than seven decades, raising more than £1 million, received a special Christmas pudding.

Adiv, the four-year-old son of a lance bombardier who will be away from his father this Christmas, was another recipient. 

Julian Groves, 59, who served with the Royal Army Medical Corps for 11 years, joined one of the get-togethers and discovered a sixpence in his pudding.

During the pandemic, he has been receiving regular calls from the RBL’s Telephone Buddy service to help with his social isolation.

He said: "It’s incredibly special to be part of Together At Christmas and I was amazed to discover the sixpence."

Cover image: Prince William, Prince George, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles mix the Christmas puddings at Buckingham Palace last year (Picture: Chris Jackson/PA Wire/PA Images).