With Halloween on the horizon, many UK homes are decked out with carved pumpkins, faux cobwebs and an array of spooky decorations, but what about royal residences? Grand chandeliers, regal red carpets, gilded features and prized antiques are more commonplace, of course, but do royals get stuck into Halloween celebrations too? See Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet's pumpkin fun and discover the sweet tradition Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have had passed down from their grandmother, Carole Middleton…
Do the royal family have a Halloween ban?
Historically, Halloween hasn't been publicly celebrated by the royal family. Queen Victoria was said to want members of royalty to "uphold total class and sophistication" at all times, which meant no dressing up. However, the rules have been slightly relaxed over the years.
Prince William and Princess Kate
The Prince and Princess of Wales like to keep their family time private, so we don't often see behind-the-scenes moments, but we do know that Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, is a huge fan of Halloween. When Carole had her own company, Party Pieces, she revealed on their social media: "Halloween is an Autumn highlight for me. I can still remember the fun and frights from my own childhood; the chance to dress up, decorate pumpkins and go trick-or-treating! I've even grown my own pumpkins this year, so I'm looking forward to decorating those with my loved ones." Perhaps her love for pumpkins has passed down to grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, as well as her grandchildren from son James and daughter Pippa.
© GettyThis year, the family will be celebrating Halloween at Adelaide Cottage for the last time, and they are hoping to be at their new property, Forest Lodge in time for Bonfire Night. Which means they will be in their forever home with plenty of time to decorate for Christmas.
© Getty ImagesPrince Harry and Meghan Markle
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have fully embraced spooky season with a trip to the pumpkin patch with their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four. In a video shared to Meghan's Instagram, the family enjoyed the day out picking the perfect pumpkins before heading back home to carve them. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, Meghan's mother, Doria, was filmed trying her hand at pumpkin carving at the Sussexes' outdoor table, overlooking their scenic garden. We haven't seen any other Halloween décor in Meghan's posts, but we do know she loves to go all out for the holidays and could be likely to make some special spooky-themed food for her little ones.
© Instagram/@meghanWe've previously seen Prince Harry and his wife get stuck into Halloween dressing up too, with them donning outfits for a Halloween party in 2016, and the photos then later featured in their Netflix docuseries. As well as Harry and Meghan, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank joined in too. "The four of us just snuck out in Halloween costumes to just have one fun night out on the town before it was out in the world that we were a couple," Meghan told Ellen DeGeneres in 2021. Harry admitted in his memoir, Spare, that Meghan "roared with laughter" at his Mad Max costume.
© NetflixKing Charles and Queen Camilla
At King Charles' Norfolk home, Sandringham House, there is a pumpkin activity running 29, 30 and 31 October, where children can make their own pumpkin houses. Aside from this, not much is known about King's Halloween decorations, or lack of, inside his royal residences. However, Christmas is firmly on the agenda, and the team is poised to get the festive decorations out in November. I've written about royal homes for five years, and I know they take the festive season very seriously with impressive decorations and towering trees.
© © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 / Todd-White Art Photography/Ben F
