It looks like Christmas at Balmoral is a lost cause, unless Charles chucks it all and just goes up there.
Windsor became too small for the entire family - Gloucester's, Kent's etc and so she decided to have a smaller gathering at Sandringham - with just her own immediate family - mother, sister, children and sister's children and then grandchildren.
Wait, Iluvbertie.....
.....Windsor was too small, so she decides to have an even smaller gathering at Sandringham....? Have you mis-posted what you meant to say? I think so.
Windsor became too small so she switched to Sandringham, which then included a 'traditional lunch' and a walk to church, and all this since the 1980's....so what did the public 'see' of the royal family at Christmas prior to the 1980's?
Charles may very well decide that to open up the big house for a day or so when he prefers Scotland for New Year is too much but still want a family gathering somewhere - hence my suggestion of Windsor. I don't see either William or Harry wanting to go to Scotland in winter (they hardly ever go there in summer) so Windsor makes a good compromise venue.
So what would the public 'see' if Charles makes Windsor the Christmas venue?
That 'traditional lunch' only came about when the Queen moved Christmas to Sandringham in the 1980s. Prior to that they were all at Windsor for Christmas so no need for an additional lunch.
So if Charles makes Windsor the venue there will be no lunch, no arrival at a lunch and all of that. No walk to church, too? Am I misunderstanding something?
I am not so sure he will keep up that idea at all if the reports are true that he wants a smaller royal family he knows that any sight of of a large family gathering will go against that concept.
I understand what you are suggesting: that if Charles wants a smaller royal family, creating the impression of a large gathering goes against 'the optics' (curious phrase used here) of the impression Charles will be wanting to maintain. Fact is, most everyone seems to be scattering anyway, so the diminution is very organic.
In terms of distance, is Windsor the closest for everyone? Is Sandringham a bit of a drive for most people? And Balmoral is just out of the question? Is Balmoral a full day's train trip?
On the off chance Charles makes Balmoral the Christmas venue, what would the public then 'see'? Anything? A walk to the Kirche in a snowstorm? ? I would guess most guests would be overnight, too, and maybe it would be more discreet.