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The Prince and Princess of Wales' holiday decor shows that 'traditional' never goes out of style

Combining reds, golds, and forest greens – the royal couple show how to dress your home the traditional way for the holiday season

Prince and Princess of Wales
(Image credit: GettyImages)

The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a glimpse of their Christmas decorations, and naturally, they're fit for royalty. 

William and Catherine are one of the most famous – and glamorous – couples in the world, and part of a family that's steeped in tradition, so it's perhaps no surprise that the couple's Christmas decorating ideas are reassuringly conservative. 

Instead of embracing 'Christmas trends', the Prince and Princess have gone for a classic color palette of green, red, and gold – and festive favorites – such as an understated Christmas garland.

In the image shared on The Prince and Princess of Wales' Instagram, Catherine is pictured in a red sequin gown that seamlessly complements the room's color scheme. A beautiful and moderately-sized tree is standing on a table behind the Princess, next to a sideboard that is dressed with a natural-looking garland. 

If you're looking for tips for decorating a Christmas tree, you can learn a lot from the Prince and Princess. They have opted for gold and red bows and ornaments that look timeless and traditional against the forest green pines. Two gold and red wrapped presents sit underneath the tree, near the shelving unit that exhibits color-coordinated books of similar hues. 

Matching your Christmas tree decor to your room's color scheme is very on trend –  Reese Witherspoon's Christmas tree is color coordinated in the same way, though in a more eclectic, rainbow color scheme than that of the royal residence.

Looking for ideas for making a Christmas garland look regally understated? The royal mantelpiece (pictured in the tweet above) is a great example. Here, pine cones are paired with tiny string lights that create a statement above the fireplace without it feeling too overcrowded. 

Red pampas grass and eucalyptus sit underneath the garland in a large glass vase atop another present. These plants bring a hint of contemporary style to the otherwise traditional space and remind us that timeless decorating doesn't always mean avoiding interior design trends altogether. 

The Princess shared the images to promote Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, an upcoming second annual Christmas carol concert sponsored by The Royal Foundation. For readers in the UK, the show will air on Christmas Eve on ITV1. We'll be watching and taking notes of any more decorating quirks we can replicate from the royal home. 

Megan Slack
Head of Celebrity Style News

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team. Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US while studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site. She currently lives in London with her antique typewriter and an expansive collection of houseplants.